Aussie Luck wins U.S. Amateur Championship

(Reuters) - Curtis Luck says he will put his professional career on hold after becoming the third Australian to win the United States Amateur Championship. Luck beat American Brad Dalke 6&4 in the final in Michigan on Sunday. They were all square after 18 holes, but Luck turned on the jets on the second journey around the Oakland Hills course in Bloomfield Hills, winning eight consecutive holes from the 20th. The 20-year-old from Perth follows in the footsteps of previous Australians to win the U.S. Amateur, Walter Travis (1900, 1901, 1903) and Nick Flanagan (2003). Luck, who took 21 holes to win his semi-final on Saturday, joins an honor roll that includes Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson. Luck is no stranger to the winner's circle. Four months ago he beat a field of battled-hardened professionals to win the Western Australian Open. While Luck earns no prize money for his performance, among the priceless rewards are invitations to next year's Masters, U.S. Open and British Open. Luck had been planning to turn pro imminently, but revealed he had changed his mind. If he turned professional, he would relinquish his exemption into the 2017 majors. "I think I'll be staying amateur for at least a year now," he said at the victory presentation. "I'm happy with that. It was something I was always thinking might happen. "Playing these events give you that opportunity to get into some events that aren't worth turning pro to miss." (Reporting by Andrew Both in Cary, North Carolina; Editing by Larry Fine)