The battle to reach the match play stage of The Amateur Championship reached chaotic proportions when 19 players were tied for 47th at three-over after two rounds of stroke play at Ballyliffin in Ireland.
That meant the players had to go into a playoff, with just one of the 19 ultimately failing to make it through to the last 64 of the prestigious tournament.
Aside from that gut-wrenching prospect, there was a logistical consideration too. After all, how would 19 players go off from the same hole without complete chaos ensuing?
The answer was to go out in smaller groups with the caveat that no player would begin a second extra hole – if it was needed – until all the players had completed the first.
While that had all the makings of a drawn-out process, unluckily for one player in the first group, Bob van der Voort, he made a triple bogey, meaning he had an agonizing wait to see if any player in one of the subsequent groups would match his score or worse.
As for everyone else who bettered that score, they could head from the course knowing they were safely through to the next stage. In the end, only one extra hole was needed as, sadly for the player from the Netherlands, everyone else made a better score, bringing an end to a long day of action that, per X account amateur_info, began at 6.45am and ended after 10pm.
The first tee shot was hit at 6:45 am by Peer WernickeThe last putt at 10:20 pm by Niall Shiels Donegan Bob van der Voort lost out in 19 for 18 playoff @acaseofthegolf1 match play starts tomorrow pic.twitter.com/HbypFK5CD2June 18, 2024
Further up the leaderboard, there was no such drama for 17-year-old Scottish player Connor Graham. He led the 288-strong field after an opening-round 65 at the Old Course, and followed that up with a one-over 71 at Glashedy Links.
The player, who competed for Great Britain and Ireland at the 2023 Walker Cup at St Andrews, finished seven-under for the two rounds, three clear of Norwegian Michael Alexander Mjaaseth.
A winner will be crowned on Saturday, with the champion earning exemptions into next month’s Open at Royal Troon, next year’s Masters at Augusta National and the 2025 US Open at Oakmont Country Club.
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