Harvey falters in Argentine Amateur Championship semifinal
South Africa’s Jared Harvey’s incredible run at the 116th Argentine Amateur Championship came to an surprising end on Saturday when the reigning SA Amateur champion lost 2-down to local favourite Patricio Tolosa.
Needing 21 holes to dispense of England’s Paul Lockwood in the first round, Harvey made a meal of his match against Martin Soria, trashing the Argentine 6&4 to advance to the third round.
He defeated compatriot Julian Lerda 2-up in the third to make the final eight and needed just 17 holes to beat Horatio Carbonetti of Argentina 2-up and book a spot in the semifinal against Tolosa.
However, a bogey-bogey start had Harvey on the back foot from the get go.
The South African won the next three holes with pars to edge one ahead but Tolosa took back control with back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh. After turning 1-up, the Argentine pushed the deficit to two with a birdie at the 10th and kept ahead until he sealed the match at the 18th with his fourth birdie of the day.
Tolosa will face Daniel Huizing of Holland in the final for the prestigious title.
The Dutchman, who partnered compatriot Robin Kind to victory in the Juan Carlos Tailhade Cup, beat Joaquin Bonjour of Argentina 5&4.
Graham van der Merwe, who rallied for the third place finish in the Juan Carlos Tailhade Cup with Harvey, got past Mariano Guiraldes and Kind, but was beaten 3&2 by Jorge Valdes Fernandez of Argentina in the third round.