Scotland's Connor Graham stood strong on a test day to finish as the best player in the 129th Amateur Championship held in Ballyliffin in Ireland.
The 17-year-old from Blairgowrie, who led the field of 288 players after an opening 65 at Ballyliffin's Old Course, cemented his position at the top with a one-under-par 71 over Glashedy Links.
Walker Cup winner Graham finished his 36-hole stroke play campaign with a 7-under-par 136 and finished three strokes clear of Norway's Michael Alexander Mjaaseth. climb the leaderboard in third place with a three-under 67 at Glashedy Links.
Graham, a former winner of The R&A Junior Open, will look to continue his momentum in the playoffs as he aims to become the fourth player after Philip Parkin, Warren Bladon and Matteo Manassero to win the tournament and advance. hold the title.
Amidst a cold, windy day, which added a lot of menace and mischief to the test, Graham put in a composed, thoughtful display and cemented his place at the top. Especially on the 14th hole, the former champion of the Scottish Open Amateur Stroke Play made strong pressure on the line and picked up birdies on the 15th and 17th holes to sink under par.
Mjaaseth briefly moved to the top after three birdies in his second round at Glashedy Links to reach the turn in three under. A bogey on the 10th, however, was followed by a double-bogey on the 12th as the Norwegian's round began to unfold. Mjaaseth steadied the ship with a good up-and-down birdie on the 17th to reach the playoffs with a four-under 72.
Van Wyk's day started with a bogey on the 1st hole, which served as motivation as he birdied the 4th before hitting his second shot from 40 yards on the 6th for eagle. Other birdies on 17 and 18 saw van Wyk succeed in style.
Young Englishman Oscar Lent also produced a grandstand finish and birdied the 16th before rolling in a 50-foot eagle putt on the 17th for a one-under-par 71 at Glashedy Links for two under.
The qualifying mark for the top 64 players and the tie dropped by three figures. With 19 players, including Spain's Jose Luis Ballester Bario, who bogeyed his last three holes, highlighted by a 35-foot putt on the 18th, competing in a surprise 18-place playoff in the match play division.
Estonia's Richard Teder, last year's Hillside quarter-finalist, Walker Cup player Jack Bigham and recent St Andrews Link Trophy champion Sebastian Cave have all moved on. Notable players missing out include top-ranked player Christiaan Maas of South Africa, former Walker Cup players Matthew McClean and Liam Nolan and R&A Boys' Amateur champion Kris Kim, who last month became the youngest player ever to enter the category. a PGA Tour event.
For all points, click here. To watch highlights of the action on the R&A's YouTube channel, click here.
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