SA duo cross first hurdle at British Amateur
South Africa’s Zander Lombard and Victor Lange will be lining up in the last 32 at the 118th British Amateur Championship in Kent on Thursday.
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, but Lombard had a battle for survival against Thomas Nemecz from Austria at Royal Cingue Ports.
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.
3He halved the 11th, but lost both the 12th and 13th holes after his tee shot at the 12th was trapped 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 boxed a 20-footer for par, but Lombard sealed a 1-up victory at the 18th.
Lange will face off against Iceland’s Haraldur Franklin Magnus for a spot in the top 16, while Lombard will go up Englishman Ashley Chesters.
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