Doyle reaches last eight in Boys Amateur at Baltray
If John Doyle felt any nerves standing on County Louth’s 18th green then he didn’t show them.
He calmly rolled his eight-foot birdie putt into the hole to defeat Germany’s Tim Brohl one up and make it through to the quarter finals of the R&A Boys’ Amateur Championship.
No pressure despite a gallery of approximately 100 people willing the ball to go in – and hoping the boy from Cork goes on to break a 39-year Irish drought in the premier under-18 event.
You have to go back to 1986 to find an Irish winner of the Boys’ Amateur.
Doyle is the last Irish player in the draw following Adam Fahey’s 2ndround defeat.
The former County Louth member lost at the 19th hole to Czech Republic player Mikulas Vojtesek despite holding a three-hole advantage at one stage of the match.
Tight contest
Brohl proved more than an adequate opponent against Doyle. There was never more than one hole separating the pair. The German teenager held a one-hole lead from the 12thto the 15thholes before dropping a shot at the 16thto go back to all-square.
They halved the 17thbefore Doyle stole the show on the last.“The match was nip and tuck the whole time,” Doyle said.
“He’s a good player and I didn’t feel totally confident with my irons. I just battled, did my best and stuck to my routine. I was expecting extra holes to be honest.”
So was the sizeable gallery. Their relief on the last was almost palpable when Doyle’s ball found the bottom of the cup.
He added: “I like having a crowd, to be honest. It’s nice when you’re playing well. It’s not so great if you’re not. They were fair to Tim as well so that was grand. I’ve played in front of a few crowds this year so I’m getting used to it and adapting to it.
“There was obviously more expectation today. I could feel it but at least I fulfilled it today and I’ll try to do my best tomorrow as well.”
Chasing history
Doyle can attain an Irish double if he does go on to win the title. He won the Irish Boys’ Amateur Open Championship in April.
He won the Munster Men’s Amateur Open the following week and in June lost in a play-off to Scotland’s Cameron Adam for the St Andrews Links Trophy.
“I had a poor enough year last year, but I’ve just improved my game in every area a little bit this season and that seems to have made a big difference,” he said.
“My mental routine has been especially good. I have to thank Leanne Sharpe and my swing coach Michael Collins for that.
“They’ve been fantastic. Leanne’s the psychologist for the Irish Boys’ team and I’ve spent a lot of time with her on my routine and simple mental things that have added up to some good golf this year.”
Doyle now faces Spaniard Yago Horno in the last eight.
Kuan Zhuo can still bring the Boys’ Amateur trophy back to the United States of America for the first time since fellow American Stuart Scheftel achieved that honour in 1928.
Zhuo earned his quarter-final spot with a 3&1 win over England’s Spencer Davies.
Zhuo’s last-eight hopes didn’t look too good when the Wallasey Golf Club member was three up through six holes.“I just thought to myself that if I could get back to two down that I’d have a chance on the back nine,” Zhou said.
He did that when he won the par-3 7th hole with a par when Davies hit his tee shot through the green and couldn’t get up and down.
“I then got a bit of a lucky break on 10 when he missed a short putt and then I just played steady golf after that,” Zhou added.
He plays Bruno Frontero in the quarter-finals, one of two Italians through to the last eight along with Alessio Brunella.
Alzas progresses
Callixte Alzas of France remains on course to finish as leading qualifier and go on to win the title. He defeated India’s Kartik Singh 2&1 and now plays Sweden’s Oscar Stendahl.
Long-time DP World Tour fans might recognise the name Lafeber in the quarter-final draw. Guus Lafeber from the Netherlands is the son of 2003 Dutch Open winner Maarten Lafeber and will play Brunella in the last eight.
Kris Kim’s dream of becoming the first player since 1964 to repeat as Boys’ Amateur winner ended in the second round. The 2023 Champion lost 2&1 to Frontero.
