Amateur hopes dashed for MacIntyre

SCOTTISH hopes in the 2017 Amateur Championship ended last Thursday when Oban golfer Robert MacIntyre, the losing finalist last year, was beaten by Swede Fredrik Nielhen in a brilliant finish at Royal St George’s Golf Club in Kent.

The 122nd Amateur Championship, one of the biggest amateur events in the world, saw 288 players competing in a mixed strokeplay and matchplay format over six days.

The left-hander from Glencruitten, the highest ranked player in the field, booked his place in the third round last Wednesday after dispatching China’s Zheng Kai Bai 3&1 in the morning and defeated Australia’s Ben Ferguson 3&2 in the afternoon.

MacIntyre, who was defeated 2&1 by Scott Gregory in the 2016 final at Royal Porthcawl, hoped to go one better this year and get his hands on the historic trophy last Saturday evening, but the Scotland international’s dreams were dashed when he lost on the final green to Nielhen.

Robert MacIntyre. Craig Howie, the former Scottish Boys’ champion, was the first Scot to fall in the morning at the 20th hole of a tight tussle with Norwegian Kristoffer Ventura, while Anglo- Scot, Ryan Lumsden went down by two holes against Norway’s Jarle Volden.