Walker’s win /Euan lands African Amateur title at Leopard Creek

Euan Walker landed Scottish golf ’s latest success on South African soil after riding an “emotional rollercoaster” in the final round to win the African Amateur Championship at Leopard Creek, writes Martin Dempster.

The 23-year-old Kilmarnock (Barassie) player started the closing circuit with a four-shot cushion and quickly increased his advantage on a course used for the Alfred Dunhill Championship on the European Tour by making three birdies in the first four holes.

But his hopes of a victory procession were scuppered when he then dropped five shots in three holes from the fifth, leaving him just two in front of the chasing pack as the leaders turned for home.

Admitting that he was feeling the tension, Walker steaded the ship as he started the back nine with a birdie before a chip in for an eagle-3 at the 13th then a birdie at the next gave him some breathing space again.

Some of that good work was undone by a bogey at the par-5 15th, but three pars to finish gave him a closing 71 and a three-shot victory from Swede Ludwig Alberg (68), with home player Garrick Higgo (71) a shot further back in third.

Walker is the second Scottish

0 Kilmarnock Barassie’s Euan Walker poses with the trophy in front of the Leopard Creek clubhouse after his three-shot success

player to land this title in three years after Liam Johnston used his victory in 2017 as a springboard to getting on the European Tour this season. “Today was an emotional rollercoaster,” admitted Walker, who finished with an 11-under-par 277 total. “I was really nervous during the round.”

As well as Johnston’s victory at the same venue, Walker added to South African Amateur title triumphs by Michael Stewart, Brian Soutar, Daniel Young and Craig Ross in recent years as Scottish players have enjoyed lots of success in the Rainbow Nation.

“It feels absolutely amazing

because it is something that I have been working towards, particularly in the last two years where I have been full-time in elite amateur golf,” he added. “It’s been a massive goal that I have not yet achieved in my career and so to do have done that today is a fulfilment of a lot of hard work.”

Commenting on him having emulated Johnston by getting his hands on this trophy, Walker said: “I think that everybody out here would aspire to be a professional golfer like Liam on the European Tour and I think that a win like this certainly brings me closer to achieving that.”