Englishman Ellis versus Aussie Perry in 36-hole


final of The Amateur Championship

 Harry Ellis in action at the Scottish open amateur stroke play championship at Murcar Links   in 2013. Picture by Cal Carson Golf Agency

By COLIN FARQUHARSON
Southampton's Harry Ellis, 21-year-old Meon Valley GC, Hampshire member, will play Australia's Dylan Perry in tomorrow's 36-hole final of The Amateur Championship at Royal St George's Golf Club, Sandwich, Kent.
Both won their afternoon semi-finals by 3 and 2, Ellis coming from behind to beat Italy's Luca Cianchetti, the European amateur champion, and Perry knocking out Argentina's Alejandro Tosti.
Ellis, a student at Florida State University and a Palmer Cup student international, won the English amateur championship when he was only 16 in 2012.
In the morning quarter-finals, Ellis beat the remaining Irishman, Paul McBride (The Island) by two holes.


Today's results:
QUARTER-FINALS
Alejandro Tosti (Argentina) bt Stefano Mazzoli (Italy)  3 and 2.
Dylan Perry (Australia) bt Jarle Kaldestad Volden (Norway) 1 hole.
Harry Ellis (Meon Valley) bt Paul McBride (The Island, Ireland) 2 holes.
Loca Cianchetti (Italy) bt Fredrik Nihlen (Sweden) 1 hole.


SEMI-FINALS
Perry bt Tosti 3 and 2.
Ellis bt Cianchetti (Italy) 3 and 2.

PERRY AND ELLIS REACH THE FINAL OF THE 122^ND AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP AT ROYAL ST GEORGE’S

 

RandA NEWS RELEASE

Dylan Perry will face Harry Ellis in the final of The 122^nd Amateur Championship at Royal St George’s tomorrow.

Perry played steady golf and was never behind in the semi-final as he eliminated Argentina’s Alejandro Tosti 3 and 2 to become the first Australian to reach the final since Bryden Macpherson, who went on to lift the trophy at Hillside in 2011.

Ellis came from behind to defeat European Amateur Champion Luca Cianchetti 3 and 2 to give himself the chance to follow in the footsteps of his former Hampshire Boys teammate, 2016 Amateur Champion Scott Gregory.

Perry, who recently won the Riversdale Cup in his homeland, moved in front at the 4^th hole after Tosti made a bogey. Although the Argentine pulling it back to all square on the 5^th, Perry went ahead again at the 6^th and never looked back.

The 22-year-old, who plays his golf on the Gold Coast, went further ahead following another Tosti bogey at the 8^th and then put himself three ahead with a superb birdie three at the 409-yard 9^th hole. The Argentine pulled a hole back at the 11^th but Perry regained his three-hole lead when Tosti hit two balls out of bounds at the 14^th and the match was concluded two holes later.

After going ahead early in the second semi-final, Ellis, who became the youngest player to win the English Amateur Championship aged just 16 in 2012, trailed for most of the front nine but moved in front again at the 11^th after Cianchetti bogeyed the par 3. Ellis capitalised immediately and went 2up on the next hole with an excellent birdie at the 12^th.

The Englishman, who plays golf for Florida State University and recently represented Europe in the Arnold Palmer Cup, held his resolve and completed his victory over Cianchetti at the 16^th.

In the morning quarter-finals, Perry saw off the challenge of Norwegian Jarle Kaldestad Volden by one hole and Ellis booked his semi-final berth after a two hole victory over Ireland’s Paul McBride.

The winner of The Amateur 122^nd Championship receives an exemption into The 146^th Open at Royal Birkdale, the 2018 US Open and, by tradition, an invitation to the 2018 Masters Tournament.

The 36-hole final gets underway tomorrow at Royal St George’s at 8.30am. For scoring and updates visit www.Randa.org.

Key Quotes

Dylan Perry

“I am overwhelmed, that’s for sure. I’ve been patient all day, all week really. It’s nice to get the outcome and get into the final tomorrow. I’m stoked.

“Anyone is going to be nervous playing in The Amateur Championship final but I am just going to play like I have been all week. I’ll be patient and just enjoy it. It’s an experience in itself. I’ll go out tomorrow and do what I’ve done all week and see what happens.

“I won the Riversdale Cup in March and it would be unreal to follow that up with a win here. It would definitely top the year – that’s for sure.

“I had never played with him (Alejandro Tosti) before and he was definitely a gritty competitor. It’s always a good win to be a player of his standard.”

Harry Ellis

“I’m very tired, my legs are starting to hurt a little bit. It’s quite tough walking with the ground being so firm with the weather we have had but at this point  it’s adrenaline that keeps you going.

“The golf I played today was pretty classy. Even when I look back on some of the shots now. The way I stuck in there and kept giving myself chances is really what got me the two wins today. I’ve had some tough matches this week and I am very proud of what I’ve achieved.I’m just excited to still be able to play for the championship.

“It’s very exciting (opportunity to play in The Open) but someone told me last year when I was playing in this, ‘You are playing to win The Amateur Championship’, and that is what I’m playing for. Whatever comes with that is fantastic. I know what comes with it in the back of my mind but I want to win The Amateur Championship and that will be my main aim tomorrow.

“I played with Scott (Gregory) in some Hampshire teams. His win last year was phenomenal and a huge achievement for him because he put a lot of time and effort into his game and he saw the rewards of it. He thoroughly deserved to win. He’s had his year where he has been able to enjoy all the benefits that come with winning The Amateur Championship. We’ve known each other for a long time.”