Dunbar one step from glory

Alan Dunbar will today attempt to become the first Irish winner of the British Amateur Championship since Brian McElhinney seven years ago – and the first from Ulster since Michael Hoey in 2000.

Standing between the 22-year-old Walker Cup star from Rathmore and glory is Austrian Matthias Shwarb who ended Scottish hopes in the semi-finals.

Dunbar put out Swede Robert Karlsson 4&3 and then he put paid to the hopes of Scot Paul Ferrier with a 3&2 success.

Scwarb, a 17-year-old who had to make a decision between pursuing a skiing career and golf at an early age, edged out Kilmarnock teenager Jack MacDonald on the last in the semi-finals.

Schwarb, whose coach is the renowned Willie Hoffman, who made his name as coach to Bernhard Langer, closed out the match when MacDonald was bunkered at the last.