THE FLATS – Christo Lamprecht joined two Georgia Tech golf legends Saturday by capturing the 128th Amateur Championship at Hillside Golf Club in Southport, England. The rising Tech senior overcame an early two-hole deficit to take the lead by the end of 18 holes in the 36-hole final, and defeated Switzerland’s Ronan Kleu, 3&2.
The 22-year-old Lamprecht, who at No. 6 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking was the highest-ranked player in the field this week, becomes the third Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket to win The Amateur Championship. Bobby Jones captured The Amateur as part of his 1930 Grand Slam at the Old Course at St. Andrews, and his contemporary Charlie Yates came along and won the championship in 1938 at Royal Troon in Scotland.
He is also the third South African to win The Amateur title in the last six years, and the title is the most significant for a Yellow Jacket golfer since Andy Ogletree and Tyler Strafaci won the U.S. Amateur Championship back-to-back in 2019 and 2020.
“I’m over the moon,” Lamprecht said. “I haven’t won something big in a long time and it’s one to definitely win for sure. I’m ecstatic. I cannot kind of comprehend my feelings right now. “I tried to stay in my zone the last couple of holes so much. Ronan was playing good and fighting back hard. It hasn’t sunk in yet but it feels good. I’m guessing South Africans like playing links golf. We kind of like being creative so I guess that flowed over into this Championship. It’s always nice to be part of history with South Africa and enrich it.”
By virtue of his victory, Lamprecht secured exemptions into The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool next month, the U.S. Open, and, by tradition, an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament in 2024.
“Yeah, it’s tough to even think about it,” said Lamprecht. “I’m just ready to go home for a little bit and spend some time with family and friends to be really honest with you. So yeah, I’m going to worry about that in three weeks’ time.
“It’s amazing. It’s probably the biggest kind of milestone I’ve put myself up for this year before I turn pro hopefully is just to get myself in a major and get that experience. To get into three is pretty amazing, I’m not going to lie.”
Down two after nine holes in the final, Lamprecht battled back to all square by the 14th hole, then reeled off four straight birdies to lead by two holes after the first 18. He gained another hole with a par at the first hole of the…
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