Ben Van Wyk (Golf RSA photo)
Just a day after the U.S. Open concludes at Los Angeles Country Club, The R&A Amateur Championship is set to tee off at Hillside and Southport & Ainsdale Golf Clubs in Northwest England.
Aldrich Potgieter, would have needed to leave Los Angeles Country Club promptly after holing out to get back across the pond in time to play Monday. After a grueling major championship week, it's certainly understandable that the South African will not be in the field to defend his title.
The Amateur Championship is one of the world's biggest and most prestigious amateur championships. Contested by a huge field of 288 players over stroke play and then match play, the winner secures exemptions into The Open and the US Open and by tradition, an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament.
The first Amateur was held at Hoylake in 1885 where 44 players from 12 clubs competed. Some of golf’s greatest names have triumphed, including Bobby Jones, Sergio Garcia, and José María Olazábal.
Both Southport & Ainsdale Golf and Hillside Golf Clubs will be used in the stroke play qualifying portion of the tournament on June 19 and 20. The matches will be played on June 21-24 at Hillside.
VENUES
Hillside Golf Club
Hillside has hosted many amateur and professional tournaments in it’s illustrious history and was recently selected by the DP World Tour to stage the 2022 Cazoo Classic following the hugely successful 2019 British Masters. The R&A have been a regular visitor to the Links with The Amateur and Ladies Amateur Championships being staged here as well as Final Qualifying for The Open on numerous occasions.
Southport & Ainsdale Golf Club
Southport and Ainsdale (S&A) has twice hosted the Ryder Cup. It is a majestic and challenging championship course with undulating fairways, rolling dunes, heathland shoulders, and, more often than not a steady sea breeze. All this supports its reputation as a formidable challenge and adds support as to why it hosts other major competitions and the R&A Amateur Championship
ABOUT THE
British Amateur
This championship, along with the US Amateur Golf
Championship, is considered the most important in
amateur golf.
The first stage of the Championship involves 288
players each of whom plays two rounds of 18 holes,
one to be played on each of the two courses. The 64
lowest scores over the 36 holes and ties for 64th
place will compete in the match play stage of the
Championship. Each match will consist of one round
of 18 holes except the Final which will be over 36
holes.
View Complete Tournament Information