British Amateur: Walker Cup Veterans into Last 16

02 Jun 2005
see also: British Amateur Championship, Ballyliffin Golf Club
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Into the last 16

The veteran of two Walker Cup encounters against the United States, Nigel Edwards of Wales shrugged off the early morning bad weather and the big-hitting exploits of his third round opponent, Marc Leishman of Australia, to continue his steady progress into the last 16 of the Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale with a 2 and 1 victory.

One down at the turn, he won the 11th with a par four, took the short 12th with a birdie, and par was good enough to put him two up at the 13th. "I played well in the bad weather and apart from a couple of poor drives I put the ball in the fairway and kept the pressure on him," he said. "That was important because he hits the ball much further than me."

Edwards was unbeaten in the Walker Cup win at Ganton in 2003, securing a vital half in the second last singles on the final day in Great Britain & Ireland's one point victory.

His fellow Walker Cup team member Gary Wolstenholme, twice a winner of the Amateur in 1991 and 2003, also had a 2 and 1 win, over Tiago Cruz of Portugal. Two up with two to play, Wolstenholme was still 224 yards from the green at the 547-yard 17th after two shots. Cruz was safely on in two, but Wolstenholme hit a stunning seven-wood to 12 feet and holed the putt for half. "That's the best I've played for several weeks," he admitted. "I was three under for the 17 holes, but I can't get up at two of the par fives so that's really five under."

Richie Ramsay, the Aberdeen Scot who won the Irish Amateur this season, beat Stephen Lewton of Woburn by 3 and 2, and Lloyd Saltman, Brabazon and St Andrews Links winner, continued his progress through the field with a 2 and 1 margin over Lloyd Kennedy of Chelmsford. But his elder brother Elliot lost in the final match of the morning to fellow Scot Bryan Fotheringham of Forres.

Also through to the last 16 are Heikki Mantyla of Finland and Alvaro Velasco of Spain.

Please click on the tournament link at the top of the story for complete results (amateurgolf.com membership required).

ABOUT THE British Amateur

This championship, along with the US Amateur Golf Championship, is considered the most important in amateur golf.

The first stage of the Championship involves 288 players each of whom plays two rounds of 18 holes, one to be played on each of the two courses. The 64 lowest scores over the 36 holes and ties for 64th place will compete in the match play stage of the Championship. Each match will consist of one round of 18 holes except the Final which will be over 36 holes.