Staff WriterThe 130th Amateur Championship kicked off its match play stage at Royal St George’s with all the subtlety of a brass band in a library—loud, tense, and thoroughly gripping.
The opening round served up a feast of drama as Scotland’s Connor Graham, America’s Tommy Morrison and Ethan Fang, and England’s Dominic Clemons muscled their way into the last-32. And they didn’t do it the easy way either.
Connor Graham, the reigning back-to-back medalist and an 18-year-old Texas Tech student, needed 21 holes and a fair dose of patience to see off Denmark’s Mads Viemose Larsen.
That match started, curiously enough, with Larsen birdieing his way into the draw via a 24-man playoff. Yes, twenty-four players vying for five spots—think musical chairs with golf bags.
Larsen clearly wasn’t content with just turning up, taking Graham to extra holes in a battle that swung like a pub door in a hurricane.
The young Scot had the lead by the 15th, then gave it away with a bogey on the final hole. But on the third extra hole—a nasty little 198-yard par-3—Graham dropped in a birdie to end the standoff and earn a date with Ethan Fang in the next round.
Connor Graham, Scotland: “It was a very stressful round out there. It was pretty tight the whole way, and then one-up with one to go and lost that one so it went to extra holes, and thankfully I birdied the third extra hole to win it.
“I won the 10th and then started to play a lot of good golf, gave myself a lot of chances but just didn’t kind of make the putts to make up for it. But there was definitely a lot of good golf in there on that back nine.
“It would mean a lot. It is such a big championship, and I always look forward to it every year, so it would definitely be a bonus having a good week.”
And speaking of Fang—ranked No.7 in the World Amateur Golf Rankings®—his debut on European soil was no gentle sightseeing tour.
England’s Jamie Van Wyk had him on the ropes early, three-up through nine. But Fang, a product of Oklahoma State’s cowboy grit, turned things around with a birdie barrage starting at the 11th, eventually clinching a one-hole victory in the type of performance that suggests he might fancy a souvenir or two from the Amateur Championship trophy cabinet.
Meanwhile, Fang’s compatriot Tommy Morrison found himself in the kind of marathon match that tests more than just your swing.
Facing fellow American Luke Sample, Morrison gave up a two-hole lead in the final stretch as Sample birdied 16 and 17. With both players trading pars like poker chips in extra holes, it wasn’t until the 23rd that Morrison could finally exhale—thanks to Sample’s unfortunate adventure off the tee.
Last year’s silver medalist Dominic Clemons was also dragged into a late wobble by Estonia’s Mattias Varjun.
Clemons looked to be cruising—three-up at the turn—but Varjun clawed back with birdies before the Englishman steadied the ship to close it out 2&1. It wasn’t pretty, but neither is survival at the Amateur Championship. It’s not a catwalk; it’s a gauntlet.
A little history for perspective: the Amateur Championship, which debuted in 1885 at Hoylake, is no sideshow. Past winners include titans like Sir Michael Bonallack, José María Olazábal, and Sergio Garcia—players who’ve gone on to slip on green jackets and lift claret jugs.
This year’s champion earns entry to The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush, the U.S. Open, and the Masters. As if that weren’t enough, they also get a place at the Betfred British Masters, hosted by Sir Nick Faldo. No pressure, then.
For fans who can’t make it to the Kent coast, the good news is that The R&A has you covered. The quarter-finals and semi-finals will be broadcast live on Friday, 20 June, with the 36-hole Final streamed in full on Saturday, 21 June. UK viewers can catch the action on Sky Sports, while international fans can tune in via R&A TV and YouTube.
Spectators on-site? Free entry. Great golf, historical stakes, and not a ticket barrier in sight. If you’re anywhere near Sandwich, it’s a no-brainer.
For live scoring and all the details from the Amateur Championship, visit www.randa.org. Just don’t expect any of these lads to make it look easy.
