Young Scot leads the way at Ballyliffin

Two Irish among top 64 amateurs qualify for matchplay which begins today at Co Donegal links

Connor Graham competing at The 129th Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin. Picture: R&A

Scotland’s Connor Graham stood firm on a testing day to finish as the leading qualifier in The 129th Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin.

The 17-year-old from Blairgowrie, who led the 288-strong field after an opening 65 on Ballyliffin’s Old Course, fortified his position at the top with a one-under-par 71 over the Glashedy Links.

Walker Cup player Graham ended his 36-hole stroke play campaign with a seven-under-par aggregate of 136 and finished three strokes clear of Norway’s Michael Alexander Mjaaseth.

South Africa’s Ben van Wyk, who was the leading qualifier in last year’s Championship, rose up the leaderboard into third place on three-under with a 67 on the Glashedy Links.

Graham, a former winner of The R&A Junior Open, will now look to carry his growing momentum into the match play phase as he aims to become just the fourth player after Philip Parkin, Warren Bladon and Matteo Manassero to win the qualifier and go on to capture the title.

During a chilly, breezy day which added plenty of menace and mischief to the golfing examination, Graham put in a composed, considered display and cemented his place at the top of the standings.

The qualifying mark for the leading 64 players and ties fell at three-over-par. With 19 players, including Spain’s Jose Luis Ballester Bario who birdied his final three holes highlighted by a 35 foot putt at the 18th, competing in a sudden death playoff for 18 places in the match play stage of the Championship.

Max Kennedy and Sean Keeling are the only Irish players left in the draw, Kennedy finishing a creditable tied 11th on level par.

Notable players to miss out included the highest ranked player Christiaan Maas of South Africa, former Walker Cup players Matthew McClean and Liam Nolan as well as the R&A Boys’ Amateur champion Kris Kim.

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.

The Amateur Championship is one of the biggest and most prestigious amateur championships in the world and features a starting line-up of 288 players.

The first Amateur was held at Hoylake in 1885 where 44 players from 12 clubs competed. Some of golf’s greatest names have triumphed in the event, including Bobby Jones, José María Olazábal and Sergio Garcia.

Spectators are welcome and can attend free of charge or people can watch the final two days live at home on R&A TV.

Graham said: “I’m definitely very happy with my round in tough conditions.

“It's a big confidence booster. I'm looking forward to getting into the match-play stages and playing some good golf.

“Match play is great fun. You don't get it too often in golf and it's definitely fun to be playing one-on-one against another player.”