Bigham's bid for amateur title still on track at Ballyliffin

Quarter-final lineup for R&A Amateur Championship confirmed

Jack Bigham of England hits an approach shot during day four of The Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin Golf Club in Donegal. Picture: Oisin Keniry/R&A

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 of The 129th Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin.

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 over the Glashedy Links.

Bigham had been three-down at the turn in his second-round encounter with South Africa’s Jordan Burnand but reeled off four birdies on the back-nine to turn the match around and seal a hard-earned 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 victory.

Bigham’s compatriot, Dominic Clemons, also has another silver lining in his sights after sweeping into the last-eight with a 4&3 win over Walker Cup player James Ashfield of Wales.

Clemons made a significant statement of intent earlier this month when he won the Scottish Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Muirfield by an extraordinary 17 shots.

He now plays Germany’s Laurenz Schiergen, who claimed the scalp of the top qualifier, Connor Graham, in round two before securing a quarter-final berth for the second time in three years with a win on the first extra hole against Charlie Forster.

Foster had earlier defeated Royal Dublin's Max Kennedy, the last remaining Irish player in the field, 5&4 in their second-round match.

Walker Cup player Calum Scott continued his fine form to keep hopes of a first Scottish win since 2014 alive.

In a tight third-round encounter with Dylan Shaw-Radford, the 21-year-old, who was a quarter-finalist at his home course of Nairn in 2021, made a telling late thrust and birdied the 14th and 15th holes en route to a 3&2 victory.

Luke Sample’s excellent debut in The Amateur Championship was rewarded with a place in the last-eight as the New Yorker beat Harry Crockett 5&3.

Sample said afterwards: “This is unlike anything I've ever played in. I've never played a proper links golf course, especially over here in Ireland. It's just a special, special place and I'm looking forward to playing some more.

“It was always an event that I would see on social media and I knew how big of a deal this championship is and the history behind it.

“I wasn't able to do it in the past, but this summer, we carved out some time and I was fortunate enough to be able to come over.

“It's a very different type of golf but for me, my strengths still kind of shine through. You have to hit it well out here, and I trust myself as a ball-striker. I’m gaining more confidence with my short game too.”