Day breaks at Australian Amateur
IN: News | Australian Mens Amateur | Australian Amateur Championship (2006) | Quarter-Finals | by Anthony Powter | 28 Mar 2006
They used to send the worst of the worst there under force, now the best of the best amateurs have descended freely upon Tasmania seeking one of the most sought after amateur crows, the Challenge Cup or what is commonly known as the Australian Amateur Championship.
It started with over 295 players last Thursday and is down to the last eight as they do battle in the elimination Quarter Final match play rounds this morning for a position in the Championship round come Wednesday at Royal Hobart Golf Club.
The leading qualifier Jason Day has gone and the Championship is now wide open and ready for the taking. The remaining players represent an unusual mix some with considerable amateur experience, others will be experiencing their first real taste of major amateur tournament pressure.
Yesterday afternoon witnessed some moves amongst the main players, some predictable, others not, again reflecting the unusual nature of elimination match play.
After overcoming a 4-hole deficit half-way through his morning match against Western Australia's Michael Dennis, Australian Amateur Men's Stroke Play champion Jason Day was knocked out in the afternoon by fellow Australian team member Andrew Tampion.
Whilst some may regard Tampion's afternoon victory as an upset, Tampion was runner-up last year in the Australian Amateur to Scotland's Eric Ramsay. Tampion is capable and will be looking to going one further this year. The current mood in Hobart is that he is now the player to beat after his victory over Jason Day.
Cronulla local Jamie Arnold secured what has to be one of his biggest wins to date in his amateur career in defeating New South Wales amateur champion Won Joon Lee, 5 & 4. Arnold, who qualified T21 for the match play, will need to be at his best against National Team Member Andrew Dodt in the Quarter Finals. Dodt played on the Australasian professional circuit this summer which included a start in the Australian Open. The experiences gained whilst playing the professional ranks are bound to assist the Queenslander against Arnold, who is yet to secure a major amateur victory.
Mitchell Brown continued with his consistent play that has seen him in the thick of it at all major amateur events this summer with top tens at the Greater Building Society Lake Macquarie Amateur and the New South Wales Amateur. Brown's 4 & 3 victory over James Gill has him positioned well to make the final as he takes on T21 qualifier Kunal Bhasin in the Quarter finals.
A win for Brown in the morning may see him up against Andrew Tampion provided Tampion can overcome Peter Cooke who also qualified T21 for the match play draw. Should this eventuate it's bound to be one of the best semi-finals in an Australian Amateur. Brown is the highest qualifier remaining and a win this week will complement his 1995 New South Wales Amateur Championship.
The other quarter final will see Tim Stewart against Michael Choi.
It's a gruelling format for the amateurs and a format that extends beyond what the professionals play each week. That is the uniqueness, and many claim the attraction, of top level amateur golf. To get a perspective of what it is like playing in the national amateur championship you need to consider the following.
Firstly, there is the 72 holes of stroke play with a cut to the leading 100 players and ties after 36 holes. The winner of the four rounds of stroke wins the Australian Medal. That was Jason Day this year with a 16 under after winning a playoff on the second sudden death playoff hole from Leighton Lyle. The top 32 players from the stroke rounds then move to the elimination match play format.
It's serious stuff and with considerable opportunities availing themselves to the victor come Wednesday with National Team selection and invites to the Australian Open; all remaining players are acutely aware of what's on offer.
That's not to forget the Australian Amateur Championship crown in itself that includes past champions of the likes of US Open Champion Michael Campbell. The winner come Wednesday evening will no doubt be joining illustrious company and more than likely break into the professional ranks and with Jason Day out of the equation it's a day break at the national amateur.
Photo - Anthony Powter
