It's Australia's time at British Amateur

BY Anthony Powter | World Amateur Mens Tour | 2007 British Amateur Championship | Preview | 18 Jun 2007

Douglas Bachli was the last Australian to claim the British Amateur Championship. He’s the only Australian to ever hold the trophy and that was in 1954 at Muirfield. Twelve years earlier in 1936, Jim Ferrier finished one short but went on to make up for it, becoming the first Australian to win a major in the 1947 USPGA Championship at Plum Hollow Country Club.

Given the strong presence Australian has and continues to have on the world golfing stage, it’s surprising that Bachli and Ferrier are the only two Australians in the Amateur’s 122 year history to have made the British Amateur final.

At Royal Lytham & St Annes this year we have arguably our strongest contingent assembled to pursue a trophy that has managed to evade Australian hands for more than half a century.

It’s been a long time between drinks and with the British Amateur format, it will seem just as long for the 288 contenders as they battle over two weeks for one of the most prized amateur titles in the world, as well as the associated spoils, including a start in next month’s Open Championship at Carnoustie and the Masters Tournament next year.

The British Amateur is to be played in two separate stages starting this evening our time. The first being stroke play over two rounds of 18 holes, at separate but similar links, Royal Lytham & St Annes and St Annes Old Links.

The 64 lowest scores and ties will compete in the seeded match play stage, commencing this Wednesday at Royal Lytham & St Annes, the venue of numerous Open Championships. Each match will consist of one round of 18 holes except the Final on Sunday that will be played over 36 holes.

Who then of the Australians can get their place in history and secure a championship that has been so evasive?

Ten Australians will start the British Amateur. Tim Stewart and Jamie Arnold, have previous experience, for the remaining it’s their first British Amateur.

Scott Arnold’s runners-up finish in the St Andrew Links Trophy was simply brilliant and it elevated Arnold’s standing as one of Australia’s most talented amateurs. His closing 7 under 36-hole stretch at the St Andrews Links was the lowest combined 36 hole score on the final day in a field that included the bulk of the players at this weeks British Amateur.

Arnold has experienced being in the “thick it” in major events before and in some respects is very much underestimated as a top line amateur player. Arnold claimed the 2006 Hong Kong Amateur as a relative unknown and since has featured consistently in major Australian amateur events, including pushing Andrew Dodt to the wire during the Australian Stroke Play Championship in March. He’s suited to the fickle British conditions, having an armoury of shots at his disposal to combat links golf and should do well this week.

Andrew Dodt claimed the last major Australian amateur event, the Keperra Bowl, before heading to the UK and he did that in style after being pressed by Kevin Lee and Rick Kulacz for the title. The current Australian Amateur Stroke Play Champion played strongly during the 2007 Australian Mens Open, finishing T11 and there are no real weaknesses to his game.

Like Arnold, Dodt has the right temperament suited to links, he’s patient and will access the risk/reward shot when in the breech, which is valuable asset for playing the British Amateur. I fancy Dodt’s chances this week and a major amateur title during this campaign, either in the UK or America, is certainly not beyond his reach.

Rick Kulacz is another who I feel will not come away empty handed on this tour. The former World Champion must be considered a chance in any major amateur event he starts. Kulacz’s game in the later part of his 2006 American Tour was impressive with strong performances in the Dogwood Invitational (T4th), Players Amateur (T14th) and The Porter Cup (T15th), all major US amateur championships.

With two significant wins last year in as many months with the Federal Amateur and the NSW Open, capped with winning the Dunes Medal and the 2007 South Australian Invitational, Kulacz has held his nerve when the pressure has mounted, confirming what an exciting talent the Western Australian is. He is sure to be a real contender this week, despite a disappointing result at St Andrews a fortnight before.

Tim Stewart consolidated his 2006 Australian Amateur title with winning the 2007 Riversdale Cup in March this year. Stewart plays well overseas and in 2006 had two runner up finishes from seven starts, both at the Rice Planters Amateur and the Eastern Amateur, followed by a top sixteen match play finish in the Western Amateur.

Stewart has the advantage of having played the British Amateur previously, as well as Royal Lytham & St Annes, a benefit many in this week’s field don’t have.

With Stewart’s number of “near” misses in international events, particularly in the US, you sense it’s not a matter of “if” but “when” he’ll land a major title and it would be fitting for him to claim the British Amateur. Should Stewart make it through the 36 hole stroke qualification, he’s a real chance to press for the title.

Jamie Arnold at Royal St Georges last year was equal second qualifier from the stroke play and made it through to the third round of match play. He’ll draw upon his younger brother’s performance in the St Andrew Links Trophy and certainly could be a surprise package at the British Amateur, particularly given his ability to play well in difficult conditions. He’ll go about his game in a quite manner and like Stewart, should Arnold make the match play format, he’ll certainly be a serious contender.

Rohan Blizard this week has attracted the attention of the British media as he carries the Australian Amateur Champion title on his shoulders. Blizard is our highest world ranked amateur (19th) but his 27th finish at the St Andrew Links Trophy brings some question as to his form going into the British Amateur.

Blizard has played exceptionally well in Australia this season, wining the Tasmanian Open and the week after he claimed the Australian Amateur, finishing second at the Mandurah Eastern Amateur.

This week’s British Amateur is Blizard’s first and it will be interesting to follow his game with the added attention as it’s his first real test in the strongest international field since winning the Australian Amateur.

Matthew Griffin of late has been the “Mr Consistency” of Australian amateur golf. With three top three finishes in the Tasmanian Open, Riversdale Cup and South Australian Invitational Amateur, Griffin was also an integral part of Australia’s winning Four Nations Cup team and finished a strong T12 at the St Andrews Links Trophy with a closing 69.

Griffin has spent the last week preparing in Wales for the British Amateur, getting accustomed to the links conditions and feels confident with his game. I certainly rank him as a real chance to do well this week, given his consistency of late.

Josh Younger’s game since winning the Mandurah Eastern Amateur in April has gone from strength to strength. In 2006 he won the Lvo Whitton Trophy for the lowest average stroke score of 67.23, in designated Victorian amateur events during that year. With wins in the Latrobe Open, Boroondara Cup, the Queenscliff Open, Murray Valley Open and the Bellarine Open, Younger is keen to establish himself on the international stage and will be looking for a strong performance this week before heading to the US.

We have a number of players capable of claiming the title, in particular Kulacz, Dodt, Stewart and Arnold. At the same time, do not be surprised to see the Australians do well. Either way, this year’s British Amateur presents itself as one of our best chances to win the championship and, given the history attached to the British Amateur, what a change that would be.