HERMESTON LEADS MATCH PLAY QUALIFIERS AT BRITISH BOYS

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England’s Jack Hermeston led the qualifiers at the end of the stroke play stage of the 2013 Boys Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool and Wallasey.

The 17-year-old former English Under-16’s champion from the City of Newcastle Golf Club carded a five-under-par 67 at Wallasey to add to his opening two-over-par 74 at Royal Liverpool to claim a one shot lead over compatriots Robert Burlison and Samuel Wilkinson on three-under-par 141.

Burlison (Oxley Park) shot a fine three-under-par 69 at Royal Liverpool to share second place alongside Wilkinson (Fulford) after both men finished on two-under-par 142 while Lindrick’s Jonathan Thomson also kept the English flag flying by adding a 73 to his opening 70 at Wallasey to claim sole possession of fourth place on one-under-par 143.

Further down the leaderboard one of the biggest moves of the day came from 15- year-old German Boys’ champion, Dominic Foos, from St Leon-Rot, who also carded a five-under-par 67 at Wallasey to jump up into a share of fifth place on level par 144 alongside a group of three English internationals comprising 2013 Carris Trophy champion Ben Amor (Marlborough), Ashton Turner (Kenwick Park) and first round leader Hadyn McCullen from Delamere Forest.

Amor also broke 70 with a three-under-par 69 at Wallasey, Turner fired a one-under-par 71 at Wallasey but McCullen could not replicate his fireworks from the previous day and had to settle for a five-over-par 77.  

Hermeston won the 2011 English Under-16s Championship (McGregor Trophy) in his home county of Northumberland and he will now have his eyes on an even bigger prize after carding six birdies on the rugged Wallasey links.

He opened his account with birdies on the 394-yard par-4 3^rd and the 535-yard par-5 4^th but then dropped his only shot of the day at the 5^th before firing further birdies at the 6^th, 7^th, 14^th and 17^th to match Foos for the best round of the day.

18-year-old Burlison had opened with a one-over-par 73 at Wallasey but then carded a three-under-par 69 at Royal Liverpool to catapult himself into a share of second place on two-under-par 142.

The English international went out in the third group on the course at 7.22am before the wind was much of a factor. He dropped a shot at the 5^th hole but got it back with a birdie on the 8^th and then raced home in 33 with birdies at the 13^th, the 14^th and the 16^th.

“I played very solidly,” said Burlison who tied for 6^th place behind compatriot, Amor, at the recent Carris Trophy. “I started off pretty slowly but soon got into my stride.

“It was an early start. I had to get up at 5.15am this morning but it probably helped because we didn’t have much wind out there. I’d say the courses are probably playing two-three shots easier than they were yesterday but you’ve still to hit the ball solid and that’s what I did today.

“It’s mission accomplished,” he added. “The goal over the last two days was simply to get into the match play stages and that’s what I’ve done.”

Wilkinson carded a best-of-the-day 70 round Royal Liverpool on the opening day and 24 hours later added a level par 72 at Wallasey in which he registered three birdies and three bogeys.

“It’s just good to get through,” said the 16-year-old from Fulford. “I’m looking forward to the match play.” 

France’s Jeremy Gandon, England’s Gareth Lappin, Rhys Thompson and Cameron Long Germany’s Hurly Long, and Spaniard’s Ivan Cantero and Manuel Elvira shared ninth place on one over par 145 but England’s Jordon Wrisdale, Jack Merry and Adam Chapman, Italy’s Lorenzo Scalise, France’s Matthieu Caron, Ireland’s Jake Whelan, Scotland’s Ben Kinsley and Alexander Wilson and Otto Mand from Wales all faced an anxious wait before they squeezed into the match play stages on seven over par 152.

The cut fell on that mark and among the players to miss out on a place in the match play stages were France’s Kenny Subregis, who led the qualifiers two years ago at Burnham & Berrow and Enmore Park, and Welshman, Tim Harry, who won this year’s Duncan Putter, aged just 15, and has since represented his country at men’s level.

Home hopes were also dashed when both Royal Liverpool’s Matthew Jordan (75-79) and Wallasey’s Cameron Massey (81-75) failed to make it through the stroke play qualifier.

For the match play draw and all scoring from the Boys Amateur Championship please visit Championships.RandA.org.

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