SA players prepare in UK for the Amateur Championship

Some of South Africa’s top amateur golfers have been playing various international tournaments in the United Kingdom, since the middle of May 2009, in preparation for next week’s Amateur Championship.

The Amateur Championship, played annually and considered one of the most prestigious championships in amateur golf, commences on Monday (15 June).

Two hundred and eighty eight players will play 36 holes stroke play, over two courses, namely Formby and West Lancashire, situated north of Liverpool. The leading 64 players and ties, on conclusion of the qualifying, go through to play the match play stage.

Each player will play one round, in the qualifying, on each golf course. The match play stage will be played over the Formby Golf Club layout.

The winner will be crowned the 2009 Amateur Champion at the end of play on Saturday (20 June).

This championship attracts one of the strongest international amateur fields in world golf.

Results:

The English Men’s Open Stroke Play Championship, which is commonly known as the Brabazon Trophy, named after the trophy presented to the winner each year, was played at Moortown Golf Club, in Leeds, West Yorshire from 15 to 17 May 2009.

The 72 hole stroke play championship was reduced to fifty four holes after the first round was abandoned due to heavy rain. This meant that the qualifying round was played over 18 holes, being the second round. The cut was set at 74 (three over par), with 59 players going through to contest the final 36 holes.

Adrian Ford was the only South African to make the cut, eventually finishing in tied in twentieth place.

Final Results:
(Par 71)
Leaders:
208 – Niall Kearney (SCO) (70,68,70)
213 – Liam Burns (IRE) (70,70,73)
Leading scores by South Africans:
219 – Adrian Ford (73,75,71)
Missed Cut (set at 74)
78 – Steven Ferreira

Welsh Amateur Open Stroke Play Championship was played from Friday 22 to Sunday 24 May 2009 over 72 holes of the Ashburnham Links, 4 miles west of Llanelli. One hundred and nine players teed up. After 36 holes the top 30 players and ties qualified to play the final 36 holes.

Three South Africans made the cut and two missed. Adrian Ford, of Durbanville Golf Club in Cape Town performed best finishing tied in twenty first place.

Final Results:
(Par 72)
Leaders:
276 – Andreos Harte (DEN) (71,68,66,71)
280 – Matt Haines (ENG) (73,69,69,69)
Leading scores by South Africans:
293 – Adrian Ford (71,73,73,76)
297 – Mark Fensham (74,75,71,77)
301 – Steven Ferreira (76,71,73,81)
Missed Cut (which was set at 150):
153 – Yubin Jung (81,72)
154 – Jake Redman (78,76)

Bidwells Scottish Open Stroke Play Championship, played over 72 holes of the Murcar Links layout, in Aberdeenshire, from Friday 29 to Sunday 31 May 2009.

Jake Redman, from Fancourt in the Southern Cape, was the best performing South African finishing tied in eleventh place. He was followed, five strokes back, by the next best South African Adrian Ford.

Redman’s performance proved to be the best finish by a South African over the period covered in this report.

Final Results:
(Par 71)
Leaders:
268 – Tommy Fleetword (ENG) (66,69,67,66) (new championship record)
276 – Gavin Dear (ENG) (68,71,66,71)
Leading scores by South Africans:
287 – Jake Redman (71,71,72,73)
292 – Adrian Ford (71,76,72,72)
296 – Steven Ferreira (77,70,74,75)
301 – Mark Fensham (75,72,77,77)
Missed the cut (set at 148)
153 – Derik Ferreira (75,78)
154 – Rae Mackie (78,76)
163 – Yubin Jung (82,81)

The St Andrews Links Trophy was played at St Andrews in Scotland over three days commencing on Friday 5 June. The first round was played over the New Course (par 71) and the remaining three over the Old Course (par 72) in the 72 hole stroke play tournament.

One hundred and forty four players teed up in the first two rounds. However the leading 42 players and ties, after 36 holes, qualified to contest the final 36 holes.

The event was won by Alan Dunbar, at the start of the week considered a rank outsider. The 19 year old Irishman, schooled through the Darren Clarke Foundation, was a reserve and only got into the starting field as a result of a withdrawal.

Derik Ferreira, of Gauteng North, was the only South African to make the halfway cut, eventually finishing tied in twentieth place.

Final Results:
Leaders:
285 – Alan Dunbar (IRE) (71,73,71,70)
286 – Matt Haines (ENG) (71,72,73,70)
Leading scores by South Africans:
296 – Derik Ferreira (72,75,75,74)
Missed the cut (set at 149)
151 – Adrian Ford (76,75), Jake Redman (73,78)
152 – Steven Ferreira (78,74)
160 – Mark Fensham (74,86)
166 – Nabeel Umerji (77,89)
167 – Yubin Jung (77,90)