Sandwich, Kent, England: Billy Dowling has led a trio of Australians into the match play phase at The 130th Amateur Championship.
Dowling snared three birdies in the final five holes to post a three-under-par 67 at Royal St George’s in the second round of stroke play.
Added to his opening two-under 70 at Royal Cinque Ports on Monday, Dowling finished in a share of 12th place on five-under – a fine performance against many of the best amateurs in the world.
Joining him in the match play segment were compatriots Declan O’Donovan (138, tied 21st) and Kayun Mudadana (139, tied 35th). Also progressing on 139 was Indian Rakshit Dahiya.
Vietnam’s Nguyen Anh Minh and Japan’s Rintaro Nakano were among 24 players on the cut-off mark of one-under 141.
They will have to return to Royal St George’s at 7 am today for a play-off to determine the final five places.
Dowling, though, can enjoy a well deserved lie-in after impressing himself with the quality of his golf.
“I’m quite pleased with myself. I feel like I’ve hit the ball quite well. I’ve putted quite well. I’ve managed my game really well for the two days,” said the 20-year-old who is 326th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR).
Now, Dowling is focusing on how he’ll tackle German Tom Haberer in the Round of 64.
He said: “I feel like you only have to beat one person when you’re playing match play, whereas out here (in stroke play) I’ve got to beat 200 people to make the match play. So just take it one shot at a time, one hole at a time and try my best.”
For a second consecutive year, Scotland’s Connor Graham finished atop the leaderboard after 36 holes of stroke play qualifying, one shot ahead of the field, with a nine-under aggregate of 133.
The 18-year-old from Blairgowrie, who is 47th in the WAGR, played exemplary golf in benign conditions on the sunny Sandwich Bay coast, recording a bogey-free six-under-par 64 at Royal St George’s following his three-under 69 at Royal Cinque Ports on Monday.
Also safely progressing to the match play stage of the championship were Ugo Malcor of France and Matteo Cristoni of Italy, who were Graham’s closest challengers for the top honour.
Other notable qualifiers were world number five Tommy Morrison of the United States, his compatriot and world number seven Ethan Fang, last year’s runner-up, Dominic Clemons of England, and fellow Englishman Kris Kim, winner of the R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship in 2023.
