SA duo crash out at British Amateur
South Africa’s Zander Lombard and Victor Lange both crashed out of the 118th British Amateur Championship in Kent on Thursday, after reaching the top 32 in the match play stage of the prestigious tournament.
The two South Africans were among 288 players from 29 countries that battled the competition and the gruelling weather conditions at the Royal Cinque Ports and Prince’s links courses to make the exclusive 64-man field for the match play.
Lange enjoyed a comfortable 4 and 3 victory over England’s Alexander Culverwell to make the top 32 at Royal Cingue Ports, but lost by the same margin to Iceland’s Haraldur Franklin Magnus in round two.
Meanwhile Lombard had a battle for survival against Thomas Nemecz from Austria to get through the first round.
The Woodhill golfer was 2-down after two holes, but fought back with birdies at the third and fifth to square the match. The 18-year-old played solid golf to turn 3-up, but caught a bad lie at the 10th and lost the hole.
The players halved the 11th, but Lombard lost both the 12th and 13th holes after his tee shot at the 12th plugged in one of the signature pothole bunkers at the links layout and his drive caught the thick rough just off the fairway at 13th.
Lombard won the 15th with a birdie, but gave the advantage straight back with a bogey at the 16th.
The two players halved the 17th when Dunbar holed a 20-footer for par, but Lombard boxed the counting putt at the last hole to win 1-up.
However, after battling to make the top 32, the country’s number two ranked player eliminated in the second round by Englishman Ashley Chesters, who won 3 and 2.
South Africa’s third player, top ranked Haydn Porteous, failed to qualify for the match play.