Albert Hansson (Royal & Ancient photo)
In the 36-hole final, an all-Swedish showdown between good friends, Albert Hansson overcame Didrik Ringvall Bengtsson 2&1 to win the 95th Boys’ Amateur at Carnoustie Golf Links.
Hansson fought back from three down with eight to play to triumph in a close-fought encounter.
Historical encounter
Hansson, 18, who attends the same school in Helsinborg as Hansson, joins a roll of honor that includes Matt Fitzpatrick, Sergio Garcia, Jose Maria Olazabal and is the first Swedish winner since Marcus Svensson in 2015.
Swede dreams
“It feels incredible,” he beamed. “I prepared with my Swedish team during practice and to be here as the winner feels like a dream. It was a special occasion to play each other as friends. It felt good to play against Didrik, not that good to win against him than someone else, but I know he will win big tournaments in the future.”
In good scoring conditions with little breeze, it was a close contest in the final, between two players who also share the same accommodation at school and have played together for much of their junior days.
Hansson and Ringvall Bengtsson, 18, shared four birdies in their opening six holes. Hansson, from Skaftö, birdied the first two holes but his countryman replied with birdies at the 4th and 6th as a tight match remained all square through 13 holes. A superb eagle from Hansson at the par-5 14th gave him the lead once more and he restored his two-up advantage after Stockholm’s Ringvall Bengtsson failed to get up and down with his chip from rough at the 15th.
Difficult closing holes
Over Carnoustie’s difficult closing stretch, Hansson bogeyed the long par-3 16th to go back to one up and they exchanged holes at 17 and 18 to leave Hansson one hole ahead at halfway.
Hansson bogeyed the 19th as the match returned all square before Ringvall Bengtsson surged ahead. He made a remarkable five birdies in six holes from the 20th to go three up after the 26th as Hansson could only reply with two birdies over the same stretch.
Rollercoaster match
But, in a see-saw tie, Hansson refused to be beaten. He birdied the 29th before Ringvall Bengtsson conceded the next and suddenly there was only one hole in it. Hansson’s birdie at the 33rd and his opponent’s bogey at the long par-3 34th saw Hansson ahead. A par was then good enough for his comeback success at the 35th, as the finalists played the afternoon’s 17 holes in only two hours and 40 minutes.
Hansson, the winner from an international 252-player field this week, earns exemptions into The Amateur Championship, US Boys’ Junior, subject to age eligibility, and The Open Final Qualifying. On the day Ewen Ferguson – the 2013 Boys’ Amateur winner – won the ISPS Handa World Invitational on the DP World Tour, Hansson will have dreams of his own one day.
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ABOUT THE
British Boys Amateur
256 players compete in the Championship
which
is match play and concludes with a 36 hole
Final.
Age Qualification - Under the age of 18.
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