Amateurs at the Open

[Doug Siebert]

What are the thoughts about having three amateurs under par, two in contention and one in the lead for the first time since 1927? Is it just coincidence, or is there something about TOC that makes this more likely?

Personally I'm rooting for Dunne tomorrow. I know he's a really long shot, perhaps likelier to shoot 80 than to win, but what a thing it would be if he somehow managed the feat! Perhaps the wind and rain tomorrow will play to his advantage, growing up in Ireland that's typical golf weather for him.

[Mark Chaplin]

The elite amateurs play there every year in the St Andrews Links Trophy so they get plenty of exposure to TOC plus many major amateur events are played on the links - Lytham Trophy. The Amateur, South East Links, West of England Amateur, etc.

[Paul Gray]

Exposure to links golf is a big factor, although that wouldn't explain much if this was such a rare event to see an amateur contending. However, it's really not that unusual for top amateurs to feature; I forget the name of the English guy who finished fifth a few years ago but, prior to that, it wasn't so long ago that Justin Rose was an unpaid contender.

[Thomas Dai]

I forget the name of the English guy who finished fifth a few years ago.....................

I believe it was Chris Wood from Bristol and that, as a Pro, he finished very high up in The Open the following year. I don't think he's in the field this year at TOC even though he won a European Tour Event just a few weeks ago.


atb

[Adrian_Stiff]

Amateurs have often done well in the Open, every year there seems one that does well. Barclay Howard (no longer with us) Gordon Sherry, Iain Pyman, Tom Lewis are other recent(ish) ones to those already mentioned. Bobby Jones won three times, Harold Hilton twice I think. Frank Stranahan won 4 Silver Medals plus another two if they had the Silver Medal then, plus twice he was runner up 47 & 53.

[Doug Siebert]

Remarkable that at one point before the leaders teed off there were four amateurs within three shots of the lead!  Pity that Dunne started so shakily, but no one was surprised and he has nothing to be ashamed of considering what he was thrust into.

One thing I thought after yesterday's round is "why he doing interviews?"  If I was his caddie, I would have asked him, "do you want to do interviews today, or should I tell them to wait until after the final round because that's what I think you should do".  That, and signing all the autographs the next day - I would have run interference for him and told fans he'll sign all the autographs you want after the final round but he needs to keep his head in the game by going through his normal routine, and no one has ever asked him for his autograph before unless they thought he was Jordan Spieth!

It would be hard enough to get any sleep holding the 54 hole lead as an amateur, but making the experience even more surreal by doing TV interviews that will show to a worldwide audience and being mobbed by the fans takes things up another five notches and greatly reduced the level of normalcy of the whole experience.

I suppose in some sense, since he didn't distinguish himself as an amateur all that much so far, maybe you want him to experience all that because he may never be in that position again.  I just don't think it did his golf game any favors.

[Thomas Dai]

Without wishing to criticise any of those who took part and did well, indeed good luck to each and every one of them, but how many top amateurs are actual 'amateurs' in the sense of having a job and paying their own way rather than being funded by the bank of mum and dad or some helpful benefactor or a national golf association etc?
Atb

[JJShanley]

Without wishing to criticise any of those who took part and did well, indeed good luck to each and every one of them, but how many top amateurs are actual 'amateurs' in the sense of having a job and paying their own way rather than being funded by the bank of mum and dad or some helpful benefactor or a national golf association etc?
Atb

If you're a collegiate golfer you do have a fulltime job, namely working towards your B.A.  Granted their school provides all their equipment, but they work hard.  Dunne graduated from the University of Alabama at Birmingham in May.

[RJ_Daley]

Well, it is an "open" and good or hot amateurs can qualify to get in it.  So, what we can conclude that in the top elite of golf, a hot talented am is competitive with a pro on any given day.  We should be seeing all these ams from "the Open" on Euro and US PGA leaderboards soon.  Dunne is done with his University days, and hopefully Niebrugge will stick it out at OSU for a degree before joining he tour, where he seems to have the game to consistently compete, it appears to me.

[Dean Stokes]

Twenty five plus years ago when I entered/tried some amateur events I remember discussing the "professional amateur" back then! The guys who did nothing but practice and travel to big four day amateur tournaments in summer then go to the south of Spain and practice during the winter for next summer.....this is nothing new.
I fully understand that college kids in the US work hard for their degrees but they play a lot of golf and compete in a lot of events - these are not weekend golfers!!!
I think it is great and entertaining for the game that Dunne was leading after 3 rounds and I wouldn't have minded him winning but he will be pro very soon and is obviously ready for it.

[Jim_Kennedy]

Without wishing to criticise any of those who took part and did well, indeed good luck to each and every one of them, but how many top amateurs are actual 'amateurs' in the sense of having a job and paying their own way rather than being funded by the bank of mum and dad or some helpful benefactor or a national golf association etc?
Atb

Using your criteria Bobby Jones wasn't an "actual amateur" but Francis Ouimet was. 

[John Kavanaugh]

Bobby Jones would have lost money, power and influence if he had turned pro.  He remained an amateur for his own selfish reasons.


The real problem today are the tweeners who are full time golfers.  The experience they earn by giving up their childhood makes them older on the course than their years.  This coupled with Spieth proving that you can be the best in the world at a young age has opened the floodgates.  Spieth has done what Tiger never could...He proved nice guys don't finish last no matter how young.

[Thomas Dai]

Maybe golf should be 'open', ie if your good enough and play well enough your can receive payment. Forget about 'amateurs' and formally turning 'pro'? Just play.
atb

[Wayne_Kozun]

Without wishing to criticise any of those who took part and did well, indeed good luck to each and every one of them, but how many top amateurs are actual 'amateurs' in the sense of having a job and paying their own way rather than being funded by the bank of mum and dad or some helpful benefactor or a national golf association etc?
Atb

I agree.  I think the definition of amateur used today is radically different from the concept of 150 years ago or even 80 years ago.  Today's top amateurs are almost always pre-professionals unlike Bobby Jones, Jay Sigel that are life-long amateurs (I know that Sigel turned pro at 50).  But back then there was very much a class distinction between gentlemen amateurs and uncouth professionals who needed to be given plaid jackets to have something respectable to wear, which has radically changed.