Scott Gregory wins 121st Amateur Championship and secures Open berth
Saturday 18 June 2016 21:02, UK
Hampshire's Scott Gregory held off Scotland's Robert MacIntyre to win the 121st Amateur Championship at Royal Porthcawl and claim a place at next month's Open.
The 21-year-old from Corhampton had to dig deep in the 36-hole matchplay final but eventually prevailed 2&1 at the Welsh links course.
As well as earning the chance to play at Royal Troon in The Open, Gregory also secured a spot at next year's US Open and, by tradition, will be invited to the 2017 Masters.
England A international Gregory made a superb start and was three up after 12 holes, but 2015 Scottish amateur champion MacIntyre cut the deficit to one heading into the afternoon round.
The 19-year-old left-hander from Glencruitten, near Oban, took the lead for the first time by winning the 20th and 21st holes with pars and the pair went on to trade holes regularly.
Gregory made a decisive move when he holed an eight-foot putt to win the 30th and he took the next after MacIntyre found a greenside bunker. McIntyre could not find a way back and Gregory claimed victory after the 35th was halved.
Gregory told RandA.org: "Obviously it's a dream come true. I think luck went my way a little bit but I made the most out of the opportunities that I had.
"I kept telling myself if I got chances, I've got to take them because that's what people who win these championships do."
