Harry finds inspiration close at hand as rival Alfie aims to deliver

BRITISH Amateur champion Harry Ellis didn’t have to look far for confirmation that miracles can happen in The Open as he played his final practice round in the company of Justin Rose yesterday. Rose, we remember, ended his first major by pitching in at the last here to finish tied fourth 19 years ago. He was only 17 and still an amateur himself then, of course, whereas Ellis tees it up today as a muchtravelled 21-year-old. English Amateur champion at 16 and now holder of the British title, too, he is one of only three golfers to have won both. So Ellis (right) has the pedigree to fully justify his stated aim for the week. ‘My head is in a good place and my game is good enough to compete,’ he said yesterday. ‘I am not here to make up the numbers, I am here to do a job. English amateurs have a reputation for doing well at Birkdale and I am here to try to be in the presentation on Sunday for the Silver Medal. ‘That would be the ultimate.’ Ellis eclipsed Nick Faldo in becoming the youngest winner of the English Amateur five years ago. But the death of his mother soon after coincided with a drop in form that threatened his future in the game. ‘After the English I wasn’t ready for what was to come,’ he reflected. ‘I look back now and say I am happy I did it. There are only three of us who have done it so to have both titles is amazing. ‘What happened to Mum gave me perspective. You realise it’s just a game and you have to go out and enjoy it. ‘That’s why I started the game and why I play the game. But you do think about giving up. It crossed my mind. ‘I wondered if I had been given a barrier that was going to prevent me going where I wanted to go. But I had to sit down, heal and take time to prepare to take the next step. ‘And all through that I was always improving. That is the most important thing.’ Ellis is one of two English amateurs in this week’s field. The other, 25-year-old Alfie Plant, is a former postman who couldn’t stop smiling as he stopped to talk at the back of the practice range. ‘It’s even better than I expected, it’s brilliant,’ he said. ‘The Silver Medal is my top target, all the amateurs want to fight over that. ‘But this is the world stage and I have come a long way. ‘I was a postman for four years. Out on the streets from September to April. They gave me time off to play golf in the summer. ‘It helped me to play golf as, financially, it can be tough. ‘I am due to turn pro in September so this is the start, I hope. ‘It’s my first major and hopefully not the last. ‘I haven’t done all these years of hard work in the wind, rain and snow just to play this and go back to delivering letters.’ Plant’s brother Anthony will caddy this week, and father Darren and more than 100 friends and family will follow outside the ropes wearing #TeamAlfie T-shirts. Plant was only four when he played in his first tournament, a ‘Find the next Tiger Woods’ event at Shooter’s Hill Golf Club in South East London, and recently lost his great-nan Joyce. She will be buried next week and Plant said: ‘She will be with me all the way and I will call on her when I hit it in the rough. Maybe she can help.’