Arnold tops British Amateur qualifiers
BY Anthony Powter | World Amateur Mens Tour | 2008 British Amateur Championship | Round Two | 18 Jun 2008
Scott Arnold has finished the top Australian after the completion of the British Amateur qualification rounds in Turnberry, Scotland. The 2008 Riversdale Cup Champion fired stellar rounds of 75-70, to finish T5th alongside Kiwi James Gill, with a 3-over-par total of 145, well inside the 8-over-par total 150 qualification mark.
England’s Sam Hutsby posted a three-under-par total of 139, a stroke ahead of fellow countryman, Jonathan Caldwell, to become the leading qualifier and top seed for the elimination match play format, which starts tomorrow on the Turnberry layout and Open venue.
Joining Arnold in the elimination match play segment are fellow Australians Rhein Gibson, finishing 6-over-par T24, with rounds of 72-76, Tom Prowse at T36, 7-over-par total of 149 and last year’s runner-up, Tim Stewart, who just made the qualification number of the 64 lowest scores over the 36 holes, finishing 8-over-par, with a total of 150.
Arnold was simply ecstatic with his efforts to date in the Championship.
“I played unbelievable today,” said Arnold following his second round.
“It was really windy and raining, probably a three to four club wind. It was my putting that got me there, as I holed a lot of good putts. This is one of the great amateur Championships and to make the match play, really gets your confidence going.”
“I’m looking forward to playing the match play, that was the goal at the start of today to simply just grind it out and put a number on the board which I did, so I’m really happy with my game and what I’ve done so far.”
Arnold is scheduled to play France’s Benjamin Hebert, ranked 19th in the world. Hebert finished T13 at the 2008 Australian Amateur stroke and was recent runner-up at the Brabazon Trophy a few weeks back in England. The Frenchman will prove a real test for Arnold.
Tim Stewart will face one of his biggest challenges in England’s Chris Wood. Wood’s 11th world ranking is only two behind Stewart’s. The Englishman made the top-16 at the Australian Amateur in April, and has had recent good finishes at the St Andrews Links Trophy and the Lytham Trophy, as well as a victory in the 2008 Welsh Open Stroke Play event.
Wood also made it to the quarter final stage last year of the British Amateur. He will be a formidable opponent for Stewart, who’s considered one of the best match play exponents in the amateur game.
Rhein Gibson, another promising Australian talent, will be against Sweden’s Jonas Blixt, who like Gibson is an American Collegiate player. Blixt’s experiences includes a top-ten finish in the 2008 European Amateur and numerous solid performances on the US College circuit. Blixt is ranked 53rd in the world, and this will be another exciting match to follow, as Gibson continues to play above his current 255 world ranking.
Tom Prowse is set to meet Italy’s Federico Colombo, runner-up at the 2008 French Open Amateur.
Australians who failed to qualify included Daniel Beckmann at 11-over-par, Ben Loughrey at 12-over-par, Rohan Blizard with a 13-over-par total of 155, Michael Raseta, 12-over-par, Leighton Lyle 17-over-par along with Shaun Malone also finished well back in the field.
