South African junior Aldrich Potgieter withstood a stirring comeback from England international Sam Bairstow to claim a dream win in The 127th Amateur Championship at Royal Lytham & St Annes today.
FORMAT: 36-hole stroke play qualifier / 7 rounds of matchplay
The 17-year-old secured a superb 3&2 victory over the Hallowes player in the 36-hole final to become the youngest winner of The Amateur since Italian Matteo Manassero triumphed in 2009 aged 16.
After a superb bogey-free, four-under-par 66 in the morning session gave Potgieter a seven-up lead, the 23-year-old left hander mounted a superb comeback to claw back to two down with four to play.
There were echoes of Laird Shepherd’s comeback from eight down at Nairn last year, but Potgieter displayed a maturity beyond his years and an exceptional short game to seal a memorable win on his first-ever visit to the UK this summer.
The South African now look forward to competing in The 150th Open at St Andrews next month, the 2023 US Open and, by tradition, an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament.
“It’s really amazing,” said the junior, who was making his first visit to the UK. “I can’t really find the words. There’s no feeling like it and I haven’t felt this good before. The words can’t even come out of my mind.
“On this golf course, going bogey-free on the first 18 holes was incredible for me. I played really well and everything worked out well. I knew Sam was going to do better than he did this morning. He didn’t play too well, but I knew he was going to come out strong. He wasn’t going to give up. I just had to play steady and keep my lead.”
The teenager, who joins a roll of honour that also includes José María Olazábal and Sergio Garcia, will also be invited to play in an event on the DP World Tour.
In front of large crowds in breezy conditions, Potgieter became only the third South African to triumph after Jovan Rebula at Royal Aberdeen in 2018 and Bobby Cole at Carnoustie in 1966.
Bairstow, the leading Great Britain and Ireland player this week at 19th on WAGR®, was bidding to become the first left-hander to win The Amateur in the modern era.
He said: “Aldrich played good golf. I don’t think he dropped a shot this morning. Around here, in a bit of wind, that’s great golf. I didn’t have my best stuff this morning. I was probably just a little bit nervy.
“With all the crowds here, there’s a lot of people I know, and that spurred me on a bit this afternoon. I just couldn’t get it all the way back. I was a bit emotional at the end with everyone cheering but unfortunately I couldn’t do it for them.
“But I suppose growing up, if you had said to me, ‘Would you ever reach the final of The Amateur? I’d say, ‘no’. It’s quite special.”
From a 288-man starting field representing 42 countries, the finalists played out an epic contest. Bairstow’s bogey at the seocnd gave Potgieter the early advantage and he doubled his lead after a birdie at the third.
As the Englishman struggled to settle, he made two further bogeys at the fourth and the sixth as Potgieter eased four-up.
After a delightful approach to the short 9th, the South African rolled in the short putt to go five-up.
And even when he looked in trouble, the youngster produced moments of magic, notably at the par five 11th. After pulling his drive but he drilled a brilliant, low approach and won another hole as Bairstow fluffed his chip. Given Potgieter plays at Pinnacle Point on the southern coast of South Africa, he is well used to keeping it low in the wind.
He went seven up as the 2021 Brabazon champion bogeyed the 12th but his second birdie of the day at the 13th gave him hope. The Hallowes member continued to battle, sharing the next four holes, but he was bunkered off the 18th tee and found himself seven down at halfway.
An errant tee shot from Potgieter at the 21st saw him make his first bogey of the day allowing Bairstow to win just his second hole and the Sheffield-based player looked set to win the 22nd after the leader hit another poor tee shot only to rescue a vital half with a 10-foot putt.
Bairstow, who qualified for last year’s Open at Royal St George’s, had renewed belief and holed a 35-foot putt at the 24th to spark a roar from the crowds, but a birdie at the 26th saw Potgieter reclaim a six-up lead by the turn.
However the Englishman made another birdie at the 28th, among five from him in the afternoon round, to keep fighting. A bogey at the 30th from Potgieter and a win from Bairstow at the 31st suddenly saw him claw within three holes, as the South African continued to find sand.
Bairstow then claimed a third hole in-a-row at the 32nd but his double bogey at the 33rd ultimately ended his hopes as Potgieter closed it out at the next with a par.