Spain has put five players into the final match play phase of the British Amateur being held at the renowned Irish club Ballyliffin. This Tuesday marked the end of the second and final day of the stroke play phase, after which a total of 64 players have qualified. The tournament started with 288, so you can get an idea of the demand it takes to pass this first cut.
The best Spaniard in these first two days has been Jaime Montojo (PAR). The Madrid native has handed in two par cards on the two courses that have been the venue for this first phase, the Old Course and Glashedy, and has finished tied in eleventh place, although for match play crossing purposes he goes as twelfth. Montojo has been very solid.
Also qualified are Sergio Jiménez (+1), who signed a round of four under par and another of five over, Pablo Alperi (+2), who shot 73 and 73 strokes, Marcel Fonseca (+3) and Josele Ballester (+3), with a round of 66 strokes, after which he was fighting for first place, and another of 80 where he suffered terribly to get into the match. Here is the feat worthy of mention.
Josele’s round, the reigning European amateur champion, has been tough from the start. He started with a triple bogey on the 2 and by the 7th hole he was eight over par for the day. The situation got even worse, with three more bogeys on the 10, 11 and 14. At that point, he was much more out than in the tournament. In fact, he was three strokes away from being able to at least play the tiebreak.
Ballester’s finish was epic, huge. He saved a legendary par on the 15 from a terrible ball position and finished with three birdies on holes 16, 17 and 18. On the first, which he had planned with Javier Erviti, his caddie, to play short of the bunkers from the tee with an iron, he changed the strategy and put it on the green with the driver. Impressive. The best shot of the day at the most important moment. With two putts he made birdie on this par 4.
He then played the 17, a par 5. Again he hit a great drive, caught the green in two and made an easy birdie with two putts. He still had one more and he did it on the 18. He was obliged. He hit another good drive, went a little off the fairway and a great pitch nine meters from the hole. He had no choice but to hole out. Yes or yes. And he did. He was convinced that it was going to go in after a day where he was not exactly inspired on the greens.
Later, in the tiebreak of 19 players for 18 spots, he managed to get in on the first hole, as did Marcel Fonseca, another of the Spaniards who will try to take advantage of the match play to keep advancing rounds.
The matches of the Spaniards in the first round of the crosses are as follows:
