[Dónal Ó Ceallaigh]

From the R&A website:  Full details including the championship draw can be found at RandA.org and television highlights will be broadcast on Thursday through Saturday, 20 to 22 June 2013 on Sky Sports.

Is there any way to get Sky Sports in The States or online?

Michael:

I would not recommend you go to www.stopstream.tv  where you can watch any live sport incl. golf from anywhere in the world
I would also not recommend that you click on the "Golf" link on Thursday

[Ricardo Ramirez Calvo]

Some video highlights of the championship in the R&A website. The Argentine flag looks terrific in front of the clubhouse at RCPGC.

http://championships.randa.org/Videos.aspx

[David_Tepper]

Half of the round of 16 is from GB&I. The other half is from Italy, Iceland, France, Australia, USA, Slovenia, Denmark, and Finland.

[Dan Moore]

The video shows a putt from off the green on the all world 12th  green.  Great stuff.  Its just before the interview with Nigel Edwards. 

[David_Tepper]

There is a nice slideshow of 21 pics of RCP and the surrounding area on Geoff Shackelford's website.

http://www.geoffshackelford.com/homepage/2013/6/19/royal-cinque-ports-is-hosting-the-amateur-this-week.html

[Mark Chaplin]

So down to the final 8, Number One B&B is supporting our Finnish guest Toni Hakula from the University of Texas. He plays an in form French guy in the morning and I'm fortunately carrying the scoreboard for the match. He has a small RCP fan club and will need every bit of support if he wins in the morning and plays local favourite Max Orrin who beat Scott Warren's mate Jordan Zunac this afternoon.

[Ricardo Ramirez Calvo]

Down to 4 now. One American, two British and one Finnish.

[Mark Pearce]

One of the Brits, Garrick Porteous is a member at my home club as well as Bamburgh Castle.  Great to see him representing the North East of England so well.

[Ricardo Ramirez Calvo]

Tony Hakula from Finland, Number One B&B's candidate, is through to the final, after defeating Max Orrin 4&2. The other match is all square and playing the 18th.

[Mark Pearce]

So it's the man from Bamburgh against Chappers' Finn in the final.  From the online scoring I thought Porteous was one down playing 18 and won 18 and 19 to win it.

[Ricardo Ramirez Calvo]

I think you're right Mark. The were all square after 18. My mistake.

[Mark Chaplin]

The American kid shanked down 18 and 19. Porteous dumped it in the ditch on 19 got up and down and won with a 5!

Very happy for Toni Hakula lovely lad who played well today. He has kept under the radar and has a good links pedigree. Very excited about tomorrow.

[JMEvensky]

Very happy for Toni Hakula lovely lad who played well today. He has kept under the radar and has a good links pedigree. Very excited about tomorrow.

As a former Longhorn (U of Texas),if Hunter couldn't win,I'll root for TH.

Mark,I'll bet you'd be the only person at RCP to flash him a Hook 'Em Horns.

[Joel_Stewart]

One American in the semis is still technically a junior amateur.  Jim Liu is from Long Island and heading to Stanford.   

I still find it disappointing none of the amateurs who made such an impact at Merion are playing nor is the 14 year Asian Amateur champion.  To me the R&A has never tried to make it the worlds best amateur championship which is something it deserves. 

[David_Tepper]

"I still find it disappointing none of the amateurs who made such an impact at Merion are playing nor is the 14 year Asian Amateur champion.  To me the R&A has never tried to make it the worlds best amateur championship which is something it deserves."

Joel Stewart -

I think your expectations might be just a little bit unrealistic. After all, the top amateurs these days are no more than 21 or 22 years old and many are still in their teens. Do you really expect Michael Kim, after playing so well at Merion on the weekend to jump on a plane late Sunday afternoon, fly the red-eye to London and then tee it up at Deal in the qualifying on Monday morning, not having had a practice round on the course? How would doing so be of benefit to him or to the event?

Who do you expect to fund all this global travel? Aren't there NCAA eligibility regulations that limit what college golfers can receive from 3rd parties regarding funding of travel expenses?

In fact, the British Amateur likely has the most "global" field of any amateur event in the world. Almost half of the golfers who made matchplay were from outside of GB&I. I don't know what more the R&A could do to attract a better field.       

DT

[Mark Chaplin]

It appears a good percentage of the foreign players are funded by their golf associations, this isn't the case with Americans. There is a very strong schedule over two weeks with the St Andrews Links Trophy, Amateur and Berkshire Trophy each year.

Strong winds gusting to 40 mph tomorrow, lets hope it stays dry. Just had dinner with the Finns and they are very relaxed and looking forward to tomorrow. Toni played very well when we went to Princes for a practise round in a stiff breeze so isn't fearing the wind at all.

[Dan Moore]

Mark,

What direction will the wind be blowing tomorrow?  Best of luck to your guest!

[Mark Chaplin]

Dan - prevailing wind 25-30 mph gusting to 40 mph.  Tough back nine.

[Joel_Stewart]

"I still find it disappointing none of the amateurs who made such an impact at Merion are playing nor is the 14 year Asian Amateur champion.  To me the R&A has never tried to make it the worlds best amateur championship which is something it deserves."

Do you really expect Michael Kim, after playing so well at Merion on the weekend to jump on a plane late Sunday afternoon, fly the red-eye to London and then tee it up at Deal in the qualifying on Monday morning, not having had a practice round on the course? How would doing so be of benefit to him or to the event?

Actually Yes.   Playing in the US Open is just icing but playing in the Amateur is the cake.  The benefit to the event would be huge, no doubt people would come out to see any person who just contended for the US Open.   Winning the British Amateur would be historic, making the cut at the US Open is not. 

Personally I'm not sure why Nicklaus or Tiger never played?   It's the one major they never achieved.

[David_Tepper]

Joel S. -

You are very generous spending other people's money.

"no doubt people would come out to see any person who just contended for the US Open." No doubt? My guess is big doubt!

 
DT

 

[Mark Chaplin]

I think there would have been lots of interest had the 14 year old played. The biggest interest is in local players, last year at Royal Troon the Irish came over in large numbers for the final aided by a ferry service close by.

The weather will reduce numbers today, plus it's the first Lions test, I imagine a few members will watch the rugby before venturing out onto the links.

[Jon Wiggett]

It is a shame it is so close to the US Open. Maybe with different dates and if the USGA got together with a travel operator and found some money to subsidise a trip they could put together a package taking in several of the events.

Jon

[Scott Warren]

Just watching the semi-finals half a world away - Chappers marring the background of a few shots of Hakula's match.

Incredible shot Hakula hit to the 16th green. Staggering!

43 days...

[David_Tepper]

Congratulations to Garrick Porteus, winning one for the home team.

[Mark Chaplin]

David he played well in very tough conditions yesterday, it shows how much "luck" is involved in the Amateur. He goes 1 down on the 17th in the semi and should lose but his oppo melts down 18 & 19 and the rest is history.

Great week, pleased to see Princes looking superb and everyone at Royal Cinque Ports gave 100% to assist the R&A in putting on a decent event.

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