MUIRFIELD, SCOTLAND (August 12, 2005) -- John Kemp, four times a finalist and three times the title-winner since 1999, failed to make it to the weekend action in the British Mid-Amateur Championship at Muirfield.
He was beaten 3 and 2 by John O'Gaunt clubmate Mark Wharton in the second round. Wharton went on to reach the last 16.
Another man with a formidable mid-amateur record, at home and abroad, Roger Roper from Leeds, had a tiger by the tail when he met the English title-holder Steve Sansome from Leicester. Sansome, making his debut in this championship, won by 8 and 7 with an eagle at the ninth and birdies at the first, second and fifth.
Earlier in the day Laurie Phillips (Cruden Bay) was only one over par when losing to Sansome at the 20th.
In all seven Englishmen, four Scots, three Americans and two Frenchman make up the line-up for the round of the last 16.
Leading qualifier Sandy Twynholm from Morpeth looked to be coasting to a second victory of the day when he was three up after 10 holes against another Scot, Paul Moultrie from Troon Portland. But 40-year-old Twynholme lost the 11th to a 20ft birdie by Moultrie, the 12th when he three-putted and the short 16th where he missed the green.
He had to hole a 12-footer for a half at the 17th and then, in his own words, hit two of his best shots of the day to the heart of the last green. Although Twynholm did not hole the birdie putt, he did not have to. Moultrie three-putted from the front edge to bow out with a bogey.
Defending champion Daniel Perrett from Clevedon, Somerset, is still in with a chance of joining Gary Wolstenholme (1995-1996) and John Kemp (2002-2003) as a back-to-back title winner.
Perrett won his first match-play tie by 4 and 3 over Michael Hunt (Pleasington) - a replay of last year's final. Then he had a ding-dong struggle with Lothians champion Keith Nicholson (Haddington) before winning with a birdie three at the 21st.
Of the 16 players who contested Saturday morning's third round in last year's championship at Royal Liverpool, only two have won their way back there again - title-holder Daniel Perrett and Mark Wharton.
ABOUT THE British Mid-Amateur
The British Mid-Amateur Championship has an age qualification of over 25 on the first day of the tournament, and there is a handicap limit of two for the event.
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