By Kent Gray
Josh Hill remains on a collision course with English star Jack Dyer after squeezing into the final 32 at the 126th Amateur Championship at Nairn Golf Club in Scotland.

The 17-year-old Trump Dubai member edged past Iceland’s Sigurbrandsson Dagbjartur 1up in the first round of matchplay on Wednesday to set up a 9.41am (12.41pm UAE time) meeting with Irishman Robert Moran today.

Hill needed to hole a 7-footer for birdie on the final hole to advance and later reported some wedge wizardry had got him through a “tough match”

 

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A post shared by Russell Hill (@golf_osteo_path_dxb)

Now, if the England Boys’ international can get past Moran, the WAGR No. 395, and equal his feat of reaching the final 16 at last year’s British Amateur at Royal Birkdale, he’s set to meet Dyer later on Thursday – presuming, of course, that the Walker Cup player isn’t upset by Scot Lewis Irvine.

Irvine has his work cut out for him. After finishing second in the 36-hole strokeplay qualifying phase, Dyer cruised past his first round opponent, Norwegian Markus Braadlie, 6&5 for the equal biggest win on Wednesday

The Boyce Hill Golf Club member in Essex and former Cal State Fullerton player signed for course record rounds at both the English Men’s Amateur Championship at Woodhall Spa and the Brabazon Trophy at Sherwood Forest last summer.

Earlier this year, current world No. 168 Dyer finished tied 12th in the South African Stroke Play Championship and sixth in the African Amateur Championship.

 

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But that is for later. For now, Hill, ranked 258th  in the WAGR, needs to overcome Moran which will be no cinch. The Dubliner is fresh from winning the Ulster Men’s Strokeplay title at Royal County Down and backed that up with a top-20 in the St Andrews Links Trophy, an event in which Hill finished T-4.

Check out the other challenge facing Hill and co. today – the tricky Nairn layout – in this handy guide from the R&A:

 

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You can also check out all the highlights from the first round of matchplay here:

Watch all the highlights from a fantastic first day of match play at #TheAmateur as 64 players were whittled down to 32 ?

Watch now! ?https://t.co/0INpCl7qPU pic.twitter.com/4IxcxumUF4

— The R&A (@RandA) June 16, 2021

The post Josh Hill into last 32 at 126th Amateur Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.

By Kent Gray
Iceland’s Sigurbrandsson Dagbjartur stands between Josh Hill and a place in the last 32 at the 126th Amateur Championship in Scotland.

The combatants meet in the first round of matchplay at The Nairn Golf Club at 12.36pm (3.36pm UAE time) on Wednesday after Trump Dubai member Hill advanced from the strokeplay phase of the R&A-administered British amateur by two strokes on Tuesday.

The 17-year-old England Boys’ International and MENA Tour winner backed up his opening 73 on Monday with another 73 yesterday to finish on +4, 146, good enough for a share of 40th place. The top 64 players progressed to the matchplay knockout which culminates in Saturdays 36-hole final.

Dagbjartur complied rounds of 73-69 to finish T-11 on even par but will find Hill a tough matchplay foe. Hill reached the third round of last year’s Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale and was ousted, 1 down, by eventual winner Joe Long.

Scotsman Matthew Clark won 2021 strokeplay medallist honours on -8, courtesy of a course record second round 62. England’s Jack Dyer was second qualifier on -7 and is on Hill’s side of the draw.

Your stroke play qualifying leader?

An incredible course record 6️⃣2️⃣ from Matthew Clark see’s him finish top ?

For the final scores follow the link here ? https://t.co/zDAx9eZEVG pic.twitter.com/Ez1d2mphji

— The R&A (@RandA) June 15, 2021

Hill’s advance to the matchplay phase continues his increasingly strong showing this U.K. summer campaign after he went agonisingly close to St. Andrews Links Trophy glory earlier this month.

The post Josh Hill reaches matchplay phase at 126th Amateur Championship appeared first on Golf Digest Middle East.