James Sugrue through to final after Friday to remember at Portmarnock
Mallow’s James Sugrue once again hit the high spots at Portmarnock Friday afternoon when he shocked the world ranked 7th player David Micheluzzi to reach tomorrow’s 36- hole final of the British Amateur Championship.
The 22-year-old is now one 36 hole match away from gaining invitations to next month’s Open Championship and next year’s US Open and Masters tournaments and join seven other Irish golfers to have captured the title.
Sugrue showed admirable fighting qualities once again in making birdie at the 18th to level his quarter-final against the Dutchman Koen Kouwenaar before winning the match at the first tie hole.
He lost the 1st in the afternoon to a Micheluzzi birdie but went in front at the 8th and wins at the 10th and 11th nudged him three in front and in total command. He lost the 13th but a half in birdies at the 14th kept him in control and the Australian submitted tamely at the 17th where he conceded the hole and match to leave the Mallow man a 3& winner.
Earlier Sugrue staged a magnificent rearguard battle to beat Dutchman Koen Kouwenaar in the quarter-final on the 19th.
He went two down after four but seemed to be finding his feet with a beautifully played birdie at the long 5th. However, the Dutchman took back the 6th and duly turned two ahead.
Holed it!!
— The R&A (@RandA) June 21, 2019
James Sugrue for birdie to keep home hopes alive and take it up the 19th hole of his quarter-final at #TheAmateur pic.twitter.com/hXI7b97paX
Sugrue’s head never dropped and battle was joined when Sugrue won the 10th and 11th to level the proceedings.
It was a desperately close affair after this and four holes were halved in par until Kouwenaar moved in front once again with a win at the long 16th.
However, Sugrue was no stranger to such a perilous situation having successfully come from three down with four to play on the previous day.
After a half at the 17th Sugrue once against demonstrated his mettle by drawing level once again with a marvellous birdie at the 18th.
And the Mallow man once again proved equal to the task when getting through with a decisive par four at the first tie hole.
However, it was a disappointing morning for the second Irish quarter-finalist as Galway’s Ronan Mullarney went down at the 17th again Englishman Benjamin Jones.
