R AND A NEWS RELEASE FROM NAIRN

  

PEDRO LENCART                                       FALKO HANISCH

FALKO HANISCH TO PLAY PEDRO LENCART IN FINAL OF BOYS' AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

 Defending champion Falko Hanisch will face 2016 Junior Open winner Pedro Lencart in the 36-hole final of the 91st Boys Amateur Championship at Nairn Golf Club on Sunday.

Hanisch set up the chance to become only the third player to win back-to-back championships – the first since 1930 – thanks to a 4 and 3 victory over England boys international Robin Williams. He overcame Benjamin Jones by one hole in his earlier quarter-final.

Hanisch, who lifted the trophy at Muirfield after an enthralling 2016 final with Spain’s Alejandro Aguilera that went to the 37^th hole, was never behind in the match against Williams.

A birdie at the 2^nd was his first strike before moving two ahead with another at the 5^th.

Even a bogey 6 at the 7^th did not derail his efforts and he was back to 2up at the turn.

Hanisch looked to have halved the 10th when he chipped in but the German incurred a one-stroke penalty after he lifted his ball which was resting against the flagstick but had not been holed. Hanisch followed that with a bogey to bring the match to all-square.

Hanisch regained his focus winning the next hole with a par. He then showed his steely determination with back-to-back birdies at the 13^th and 14^th. Hanisch followed that up with an eagle at the 15^th to close out the match and book his spot in the final for the second year running. 

Lencart is the player that stands in the way of Hanisch’s attempt to re-write the history books.

 The Portugese player won The R and A’s Junior Open at Kilmarnock (Barassie) in 2016 but has never made the cut at the Boys' Amateur Championship before now. He disposed of George Saunders in his morning quarter-final by 2 and 1 before coming through a tough tie with Spain’s Miguel Angel Herrero-Baeza, defeating the Spaniard by 2 holes.

Both traded holes in a very close match until Lencart seized the initiative with a birdie at the 15^th. He kept his cool to stay one up as he approached the 18^th. Herrero-Baeza conceded the win when he found a fairway bunker and required another three shots to reach the green. Lencart now has one final match to compete for the title tomorrow.

Robin Williams won the Peter Garner bowl as the Under-17-year-old to go furthest in the championship.

The 36 hole final takes place on Sunday with the first round scheduled to tee off at 8.30am. Admission and parking is free.

Scoring  will be available at www.randa.org/Championships. Follow The R&A on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for updates on social media.

Key quotes:

Falko Hanisch

“Match play is much easier for me in to play good mentally and win a game. I’m pretty solid right now and really looking forward to this.

“I was 2700th in the world and now I am in the top 100 so it has been a good year since winning it last year – and I am just enjoying playing links golf. It’s very different to playing in Germany because all the courses, they are not easy, but not as hard as Scotland. It’s great to be back here.”

Pedro Lencart

“It was a really tough day today with two tough matches but I am really happy to be in the final. It was the first match that actually I was losing after six holes but then the match was all-square. I won 15 with a birdie and parred 16 and 17, and hit two great shots on 18 and won!

“The Spanish boys are great friends of mine, I’ve played with them a couple of times they are really nice. They are like brothers with Portugal being such a close country.

“I like the courses and I hope I like Scotland tomorrow but I just don’t like the weather sometimes – but today was ok!”