SA’s Lamprecht claims The Amateur Championship

Christo Lamprecht continued South Africa’s history in The Amateur Championship when he became the fourth winner and third GolfRSA national squad champion in the last six years to lift one of the most prestigious trophies in the amateur game.

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The world number 6 defeated Ronan Kleu from Switzerland 3 and 2 in a 36-hole final to win the 128th edition in front of large crowds at Hillside Golf Club on 24 June in England.

“I am over the moon,” said Lamprecht, whose affinity for links courses netted his victories in 2017 South African Amateur at Humewood and the 2018 East of Ireland Amateur at County Lowth Golf Club.

“I have not won something big in a long time and this is the one to win. I’m ecstatic because it is always good to be part of South African history and to enrich that history.

“I tried to stay in my zone the last couple of holes because Ronan was playing well and fighting back hard.

“I think South Africans like playing links golf because we enjoy being creative and that flowed over into this championship,” he said.

With the biggest victory of his career, the towering 22-year-old earned exemptions into The 151st Open at Royal Liverpool next month, the 2024 US Open, and, by tradition, an invitation to play in the Masters’ Tournament next year.

He also joined a championship roll of honour, which includes legends of the game like Bobby Jones, Sir Michael Bonallack, Jose Maria Olazabal and Sergio Garcia.

“I cannot think about the majors right now. My biggest goal this year was to qualify for a major before I go pro to get that experience, and now I am into three. It is the biggest milestone I have achieved.”

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Starting his campaign in the international field of 288 players representing 38 countries, the Georgia Tech senior squeezed into the preliminary round for the top 64 with a birdie at his final hole.

After narrowly edging Dutchman Jack Ingham 1-up, the prodigious ball striker was on his way to the match play stage.

Lamprecht excelled in the early rounds of the knock-out format with wins against American George Duangmanee (3 & 2), Norwegian Mats Ege (3 & 2) and Adam Wallin from Sweden (2 & 1) to reach the quarter-finals.

However, after marching to a convincing 6 & 5 win over Richard Teder from Estonia, he was well-tested by English teenager Frank Kennedy. On the back foot, for the better part of his semifinal clash, Lamprecht rallied to win the last three holes – helped by an eagle at the 17th hole – to win 1-up.

The South African faced Ronan Kleu in the 36-hole final.

The joint runner-up in the stroke play qualifying aimed to become the first Swiss winner of The Amateur.

In the morning, Lamprecht’s opening birdie gave him the early advantage, but Kleu reeled in three birdies in a row from the sixth to go one up.

With his precision iron play, the Swiss national team member also birdied the ninth to move two ahead after nine holes.

In the see-saw contest that followed, Lamprecht won the 10th and 11th holes to square match before he seized control.

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Aided by his long driving, the Louis Oosthuizen Junior Golf Academy graduate birdied five of the last seven holes – including four in a row from the 15th, but Kleu closed with two birdies of his own to stay in touch at only two down at the halfway stage.

Lamprecht, a first-team All-American with eight top-ten finishes in the 2022-2023 season, was six-under-par for the morning session and had played 21 more match play holes than his opponent, but he showed no signs of letting up.

He won the 19th hole and stayed 3-up until the 24th when the Swiss struck it close to reduce the deficit.

Lamprecht pitched from the dunes on the 27th to restore his advantage and made another decisive move at the short 28th, holding from 15 feet to go 4-up.

Kleu clawed back two holes with back-to-back birdies on the 30th and 31st and an incredible birdie at the 32nd after he sliced his drive into the rough, giving the Swiss golfer a glimmer of hope. The South African stayed cool under pressure and drained a six-footer for birdie to halve the hole.

Lamprecht was back to 3-up with his fifth birdie at the 33rd and he knocked in a short par putt at the 34th to seal the win.

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“We went back and forth for a long time and I felt in the second round, around 10 and 11, that I got myself into a position where I felt comfortable,” the George golfer said.

“With a lot of birdies coming in, he gave me a good go at the end.

“It has been a special week, with all the squad guys supporting me and everything going my way.

“There were so many highlights. I guess if I had to name one, it would be the eagle putt I made on 17 in the semifinal.

“I didn’t think I was going to win that match. It is the kind of match where I felt I was in control the whole time except until 18.”

Lamprecht praised his caddie, fellow GolfRSA national squad player and international Arnold Palmer Cup teammate, Christiaan Maas.

The 2022 Brabazon Trophy champion was also on the bag for Potgieter when he won 12 months ago.

“The word caddie is insulting him, because Christiaan is an amazing golfer in his own right and probably going to win this championship as well,” Lamprecht said.

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“We play golf and approach the game the same way. He has a bit of experience, so having him on there for an extra bit of advice was amazing.”

Lamprecht was not the only South African winner in this year’s amateur championship.

Another George native, Ben van Wyk, became the third South African in the last six years to win the 36-hole stroke play qualifier, following in the footsteps of GolfRSA National Squad graduates Wilco Nienaber (2018) and Jono Broomhead (2022).

The 22-year-old University of Georgia senior, who went wire-to-wire with rounds of 66 and 68 to win by one stroke, was knocked out in the first round.