Ferguson’s bid to defend title on course after victory
DEFENDING champion Ewen Ferguson of Scotland is through to the quarter-finals of the Boys Amateur Championship after a decisive 8&7 victory over Germany’s Max Schmitt in the last 16 at Prestwick.
The 18-year-old is bidding to become the first player since 1930 to successfully defend the Boys Amateur title in a year that has seen him win both the Scottish Boys Stroke Play and Scottish Boys Match Play Championships.
Ferguson, from Bearsden, had earlier faced England’s Oliver Clarke in his third round match. The pair traded birdies and bogeys before Ferguson edged out the Englishman with a birdie on the 18th to win by one and earn his place in the fourth round.
He made short work of his afternoon match, sending Schmitt home after 11 holes. Ferguson started strongly on the first hole, hitting a wedge shot to within six feet and rolling in for a birdie while Schmitt double-bogeyed. It would set the tone for the rest of the match as Ferguson played steadily throughout and Schmitt struggled to find his form.
“From the word go I was just hitting it awesome all day,” said Ferguson. “I have just been trying to hit the best that I possibly can hit on the one shot that I’m standing over instead of getting ahead of myself.
“I hit a lot of long irons really close to the hole, which I think made it hard for Max to play well because I was putting so much pressure on him.
“I don’t think he gave the match to me, I just think I played really well on the day. On another day he could have beat me.”
The Scot will now face England’s Lewis George of Delamere Forest, who defeated Denmark’s Morten Toft Hansen 4&3.
The 2013 Cheshire Boys’ Champion birdied the first hole to go 1 up, won the 4th hole with a par and then went 3 up after an excellent 3-iron approach to the par three 5th. Despite losing the 7th with a double bogey George kept his composure and sealed the match on the 15th hole.
The victory was another confidence boost for the 17-year-old who defeated his compatriot Ashton Turner 3&2 in the morning’s third round.
“Obviously, I’m a bit nervous playing the defending champion, but I don’t have much to lose so I’m just going to give it my best shot,” said George.
Sweden’s Oskar Bergqvist continued to dominate his matches yesterday, producing a bogey-free round against Norway’s Jarand Arnoy to win his third round match 4&3.
He then faced England’s Billy Watson and opened with a pair of birdies to take the early lead. Both players dropped shots in the remainder of the front nine but the Swede found his stride to win the 12th and the 14th with birdies and securing a 5&3 win. He meets Norway’s Christoffer Bring in the quarter-finals.
Elsewhere, Ireland’s Rowan Lester enjoyed a 3&2 win over England’s Matthew Myers and was joined by Wales’ Tim Harry who won by the same margin against England’s Louis Lazarus. Bradley Moore defeated his fellow English international Jamie Li by two holes.