Hampshire’s Harry Ellis will attempt to make history by becoming the youngest-ever player to win the English and British Amateur titles when he faces Australia’s Dylan Perry in the final at Royal St George’s Golf Club in Kent.
The 21 year old from Meon Valley, who is in the third year of his golf scholarship at Florida State University, blew away Italy’s reigning European Amateur champion Luca Cianchetti in the semi-final, after making a great up and down from the 16th.
It was the same hole where Europe’s next Ryder Cup captain Thomas Bjorn made a five to hand the Claret Jug to rookie American Ben Curtis in the 2003 Open Championship at Sandwich.
With Ellis in the right greenside trap, his opponent was some four feet away from the pin in two. But Ellis cooly hit his bunker shot and converted his third shot from around six feet to breeze into the final.
Only two players since 1924 have ever won the British and English crowns – legendary amateur Sir Michael Bonallack, the former R&A secretary, and Eisenhower Trophy winner Michael Lunt, who died at the age of 72 while captain of the R&A back in 2007, the year Stoneham’s David Harrison took over the mantle.
Bonallack, who played in nine Walker Cups, won both titles five times each – and is the only player to ever have done the double, winning the English at The Berkshire in 1965, having claimed the British two months earlier at Royal Porthcawl.
Ellis became the youngest-ever English Amateur champion after triumphing at Silloth-on-Solway five years ago, aged just 16 – breaking Sir Nick Faldo’s record, which had stood since 1975, by some two years.
Ellis came back to the UK after helping FSU – where US Open champion Brooks Koepka graduated from, and regularly returns to play practice rounds with Ellis and some of the Seminoles team – reach the NCAA finals, and after playing for Europe against the best American college golfers in the Arnold Palmer Cup at Atlanta Athletic Club.
Having enjoyed his best season Stateside, last year’s Lagonda Trophy winner found himself one down after four, after the Hampshire man had missed a 10-footer for par when both players missed the green at the back.
Both drove the green at the short fifth – Ellis was not giving up distance against his much bigger-built opponent – but had to settle for half in fours.
The famous par-three sixth cost the world no.43 the lead, after a poor tee shot led to a bogey four. Ellis could not get up and down from the greenside trap on the eighth, with his opponent 15 feet from the pin, and was forced to surrender his slender lead.
But after both players missed the fairway on nine – and with Cianchetti in thick rough on the left – Ellis made birdie from the right-semi to get to the turn all-square. A crucial par putt on the 10th proved decisive, as Ellis then went in front courtesy of Cianchetti’s bogey four on the long par-three 11th. A birdie three extended Ellis’ lead to two at the 12th, and from two up with five to play, the Botley boy was not going to give up the chance to emulate Gregory’s success a year ago – and with that tantalising prize of a place in the Masters at Augusta beckoning for the winner of Saturday’s final.
Speaking after his match, Ellis said: “I’m very tired, my legs are starting to hurt a little bit. It’s quite tough walking, with the ground being so firm, with the weather we have had but at this point – it’s only adrenaline that keeps you going.
“The golf I played today was pretty classy. Even when I look back on some of the shots now. The way I stuck in there and kept giving myself chances is really what got me the two wins today. I’ve had some tough matches this week, and I am very proud of what I’ve achieved. I’m just excited to still be able to play for the championship.
“I know what comes with winning the championship, but I’m trying to keep that in the back of my mind and concentrate on winning The Amateur Championship and that will be my main aim tomorrow.
Perry played steady golf in the other semi-final, and was never behind in his match against Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti, winning 3&2 to become the first Australian to reach the final since Bryden Macpherson, who went on to lift the trophy at Hillside in 2011. The 22 year old from Australia’s Golf Coast, went ahead at the sixth, and was never headed, taking a three-hole lead at the 11th and closing out the match with a birdie at the 14th.
In the morning quarter-finals, Perry saw off the challenge of Norwegian Jarle Kaldestad Volden by one hole, and Ellis booked his semi-final berth after a two-hole victory over Ireland’s Paul McBride.
The post ELLIS HAS AMATEUR TITLE IN HIS SIGHTS appeared first on Golf News.
Leave a comment