Clemson Ends Hsiao's Record-Breaking Run

Ballyliffin, Ireland: Kent Hsiao’s record-breaking run at The 129th Amateur Championship came to an end in the second round.

The first player from Chinese Taipei to qualify for the match play phase of the Championship that was inaugurated in 1885, Hsiao was eliminated by in-form Englishman Dominic Clemons, 2&1.

US-based Hsiao, making his first trip to Europe, made an encouraging start over the Glashedy Links at Ballyliffin, opening up a two-hole lead through seven holes.

But Clemson, who enjoyed a runaway victory in this month’s Scottish Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Muirfield, struck back, winning the eighth, ninth and 10th to move in front for the first time.

The next six holes were all halved in pars before Clemson closed out the match at the long 17th with a par to Hsiao's bogey.

Clemons, who has posted a series of impressive results on the US college scene this season, enjoyed further success in the afternoon, sweeping into the last-eight thanks to a 4&3 win over Walker Cup player James Ashfield of Wales.

Meanwhile, Jack Bigham’s bid to add another R&A title to his collection gathered pace as the Walker Cup player surged into the quarter-finals.

The 20-year-old Englishman, who won the R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship in 2021, stayed on course for a notable double with two contrasting match play victories.

Bigham had been three-down at the turn in his second-round encounter with South African Jordan Burnand but reeled off four birdies on the back-nine to turn the match around and seal a 3&1 victory.

The Florida State University student carried that momentum into his third-round duel with Ukraine’s Lev Grinberg in the afternoon and won four of the first five holes to forge a commanding lead on his way to a 5&4 success.

The winner of Saturday’s 36-hole Final will secure exemptions into The 152nd Open at Royal Troon next month, the US Open, and, by tradition, an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament.