Manchester, England: New Zealand's James Hydes and Hong Kong's Leon D'Souza joined seven Australians in the draw for the Match Play segment at The 127th Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes and St Annes Old Links.
After 36 holes of stroke play, the qualifying cut mark fell at one-over-par with Max Charles leading the Asia-Pacific charge, claiming a share of 10th place after adding a 67 at St Annes Old Links to his opening 72 at Royal Lytham.
His fellow Australians to make it through were Joshua Greer (tied 27th on 141), Connor McKinney (tied 40th, 142) and Hayden Hopewell, Jasper Stubbs, Jack Buchanan and Samuel Slater (all tied 62nd on 143).
Hydes was joint 40th on 142 with D’Souza squeezing through on 143 thanks to a gutsy 69 at St Annes Old Links.
There was disappointment, however, for fellow Hong Konger Taichi Kho and Thai prodigy Ratchanon TK Chantananuwat who were among those that failed to progress.
Kho, runner-up in last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship, ended two shots above the cut-off on 145 while ‘TK’, winner of an Asian Tour event this year and ninth in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, finished on 150. After an 80 at Royal Lytham on Monday, the 15-year-old battled to a 70 at St Annes Old Links.
Topping the standings was South African Jonathan Broomhead who produced an eagle-birdie finish in the late evening sun at St Annes Old Links. In glorious conditions in Lancashire, Broomhead added a four-under 68 at St Annes Old Links to the three-under 67 he posted at Royal Lytham a day earlier for a seven-under 135 total.
It was the same mark as Englishman Barclay Brown, but Broomhead sealed top spot among the 288-man international field by virtue of card countback using the last six holes on both courses.
Broomhead, who has posted two top-30 finishes on the Great Britain and Ireland amateur circuit in recent weeks, chipped in for an eagle at the 17th to highlight his day as he led the top 64 and ties into the match play stages from tomorrow.
Brown, the Stanford University student who ended the collegiate season with back-to-back runner-up finishes, maintained his form as he signed for a seven-under 65 at St Annes Old Links.
Fellow Walker Cup player Mark Power also shone to post a 65 of his own at St Annes Old Links, finishing on six-under-par to secure third spot in qualifying. Having lost at the semi-final stage of The Amateur in 2020, the Irishman is determined to succeed this year and seal a place in The 150th Open at St Andrews next month.
Welshman Archie Davies was another to find his form at St Annes Old Links, signing for a 68 and a five-under-par total. He was joined on that mark by countryman Luke Harries, Nathan Legendre from France and Swede Hugo Townsend. John Gough, winner of the Lytham Trophy this year, is also safely into the match play after finishing on three-under.
Last year’s runner-up at Nairn, Monty Scowsill also bravely battled to a qualifying place. Having been seven-over on the 14th tee at Royal Lytham & St Annes on Monday, he responded to post a level par score for his 36 holes. After surrendering an eight-up lead after 17 holes to lose at the 38th to Laird Shepherd 12 months ago, the Englishman is ready for another bid.
The R&A will provide live broadcast coverage of the quarter-finals and semi-finals on Friday and the 36-hole Final on Saturday. This can be watched on The R&A’s website as well as its YouTube channel.
