With play at the 151st commencing at 6.35am tomorrow, all eyes appear to be on Rory, Scottie, Jon and the host of big names coming into the week with form and pedigree. Whilst anticipation is through the roof for seeing how the game’s elite fare around Hoylake in some rather changeable weather, less has been said of the cohort of amateurs who are not only vying for the Claret Jug, but also the Silver Medal.
Competed for since 1949, the Silver Medal has seen a host of illustrious winners: Sir Michael Bonallack, José María Olazabal, Tiger Woods, Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy to name but a few. Provided they complete all 72 holes, one of this year’s six amateurs will be taking it home. Much has been made of Hoylake’s historic connection to amateur winners, with Royal Liverpool members John Ball Jr. the first Englishman to win The Open at Prestwick in 1890 and Harold Hilton winning the Jug at his home track in 1897. Since then, The Open has only been won by one other amateur, Bobby Jones, who managed to do it three times in 1926, 1927 and 1930.
So, without further ado, we thought we would get to know the six amateurs in the field this week and how they made it here.
Jose Luis Ballester Barrio, Nationality: Spanish, Age: 19
(Photo: Sun Devil Athletics)
This talented young man has a name that does just sound a little familiar. Although Seve is naturally missed, it will be interesting to see if this Jose has any of his Spanish hands and flair. Earning his spot in the field with a wire-to-wire victory in the European Amateur Championship in Estonia earlier this month, the young Spaniard showed a winning ruthlessness to get in this week. In winning the European Amateur, he became the first Spaniard to do so since Sergio Garcia did so in 1995.
Such an ability to win from the front may have developed as a result of being the child of two Olympic gold medallists. He looks exceptionally strong, perhaps more reminiscent of the Jon Rahm school of Spanish golf, so it will be exciting to see how far he can shift the ball this week. It looks as though his parents started him on the protein shakes from a young age.
He’s got class and an impressive track record in college golf. Like Jon Rahm did before him, coincidentally, he plays for the Arizona Sun Devils and looks a really exciting talent. He has some experience of links golf, having holed the winning putt for Spain at last year’s European Team Championship at Royal St George’s.
He’s going to be exciting to watch this week and I would not be surprised if he performs very well.
Tee Time: 7.30am (P. Reed, C. Syme, J. Ballester Barrio)
Tiger Christensen, Nationality: German, Age: 19
I watched this young German closely during Final Qualifying at West Lancashire earlier in the month and he looks a really exciting prospect. He shot rounds of 68 and 67 to fend off Sergio Garcia and earn his place. He was tied for fourth with playing partner Alex Fitzpatrick and held his nerve coming out of the thick rough on the last to secure qualification. In doing so he became the only amateur to qualify through Final Qualifying across all of the four venues.
Because of his name, he will likely be compared to the legendary Eldrick Tont throughout the week, although he has clarified that his name also derives from his father’s best friend’s boxing ring name.
Although only 19, he has some good experience under his belt, competing on the DP World Tour for the first time this year and having won the German International Amateur a couple of years ago. During that year he was also a part of the winning European side at the Jacques Léglise Trophy at Golf de Chantilly.
After watching him up close at West Lancashire, the boy can seriously hit the ball and he clearly has a taste for links golf. This will be a step up in class, however, but nonetheless it will be great to have a Tiger roaring on the fairways this week. He plays with fellow Deutschlander and tab connoisseur Marcel Siem tomorrow.
Tee Time: 10.53am (M. Siem, M. Rohwer, T. Christensen)
Harrison Crowe, Nationality: Australian, Age: 21
(Video: Random Golf Club, YouTube)
You’ll likely all know this young Australian as that guy who managed to hit the 18th green of the Old at St Andrews from the pavement outside of the Dunny pub. The shot, which went viral on an Erik Anders Lang video, was sheer class, especially after a few jars, although I’d like to verify if it was the first take. I can confirm that there has since been a ‘street golf’ craze in St Andrews, especially amongst the students which has resulted in the odd broken car window.
Viral videos aside, the young Aussie has the talent to take the medal home on the same day the Australians retain the Ashes. During a discussion with Harrison in the Vic in St Andrews during this year’s Links Trophy, he told me that he’s good mates with David Warner so hopefully the cricket score doesn’t prove too much of a distraction.
He’s 43rd in the World Amateur Golf Rankings (WAGR) and won last year’s Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship which earned him his place this week and also a spot at The Masters in April. He shot 75, 77 to miss the cut at Augusta, but importantly he didn’t get up to his usual tarmac antics and anger the Club Committee.
With a number of good amateur titles in Oz under his belt, he definitely has a chance this week. Above all of the stats, he is box-office and a cracking lad so I’m sure he’ll draw plenty of attention.
Tee Time: 12.42pm (M.W. Lee, C. Bezuidenhout, H. Crowe)
Mateo Fernandez de Oliviera, Nationality: Argentinian, Age: 23
(Photo: The R&A)
Qualifying on the back of winning the Latin America Amateur Championship, carding 23 under for 72 holes, the Argentinian has set up his chance to play at Hoylake and take us all back to Roberto de Vicenzo’s massive win here in 1967. To this day de Vicenzo remains the only Argentinian to have lifted the claret jug.
His win also saw him qualify to play at Augusta, however he missed the cut there after a 76 and 75. He competed at LACC, but also failed to make the weekend there. He’s won a number of junior amateur events back in South America and won all of his matches during the Arnold Palmer Cup in Switzerland last year.
Not big in stature, at only 5’7 vertically, he’s going to be fun to watch and bring some Argentinian energy to the Wirral. Ole Ole Ola!
He will, however, need to come out of the blocks faster than he did in his previous two major appearances if he is to get near the Silver Medal on Sunday.
Tee Time: 1.37pm (F. Molinari, D. McCarthy, M. Fernandez de Oliviera)
Christo Lamprecht, Nationality: South African, Age: 22
(Photo: Golfweek)
In stark contrast to wee Mateo, this year’s Amateur Champion, Christo Lamprecht is absolutely huge. At 6’8 and able to hit a seriously long ball, he caused quite a stir just down the road at Hillside. After beating Ronan Kleu of Switzerland in the 36-hole final, he became the third South African winner of the title in just six years. Jovan Rebula and Aldrich Potgeiter won in 2018 and 2022 respectively. Neither of them made the cut in their debuts at The Open, however.
Winning the Amateur Championship takes patience and determination as its simply a marathon of golf. He’s got the game and clearly the mental fortitude to potentially do well this week. During that week, the Georgia Tech student saw off Frank Kennedy, the young Englishman who was coached by Fintan Bonner and who surprised everyone last month by turning pro at just 17 years of age. Christo was two down with three to play but won all of the remaining holes to get to the final.
In 2017, when he was just 16, he became the youngest ever winner of the South African Amateur and has had a good record competing in the Junior Presidents Cup, Eisenhower Trophy and Arnold Palmer Cup.
He is yet another really exciting talent who’ll be tremendous fun to watch, although I’ll be standing nowhere near him to save height-related embarrassment.
Tee Time: 7.52am (L. Oosthuizen, J. Luiten, C. Lamprecht)
Alex Maguire, Nationality: Irish, Age: 22
(Photo: Irish Examiner)
Qualifying through a ‘Mini Order of Merit’ run through the St Andrews Links Trophy, Amateur Championship and European Amateur Championship, the 22-year old Irishman comes in with good form. At the Links Trophy, which he won by five strokes, conditions were not easy, so if the wind gets up this week, you fancy his experience of Irish golf will come in handy. He knows how to navigate fast and firm links turf, although at the moment it’s a little soft.
I’ve heard mixed things about this young man, so he is certainly a somewhat unknown quantity I will want to follow this week, but nevertheless he became the first player for 30 years to successfully defend his East of Ireland title at Baltray this year. He holed some clutch putts on the stretch and fended off Caolan Rafferty and Sam Maguire in a three hole playoff by making two classy birdies.
Although a student at Florida Atlantic and cutting his teeth in the NCAA, he plays his golf back in Ireland at Laytown and Bettystown, where Richard Knightly won this year’s Senior Scratch Cup after putting his seven-iron through his car window before heading out on the final round (to retrieve his keys).
The last winner at Hoylake, as we all know, was an Irishman so young Alex will be looking to channel some of that energy this week.
Tee Time: 7.08am (R. Hoshino, C. Schwartzel, A. Maguire)
Special Mentions
It’s a real shame not to be seeing John Gough tee it up this week. His amateur record is unbelievable and is currently the 10th ranked amateur on WAGR. It would have been very cool to see.
Caolan Rafferty has also had an excellent season, with four top-10’s and a top-20 in his five amateur starts this year. Sadly, he didn’t quite qualify but I would imagine he will play at the Walker Cup later in the year.
