Sample Run at The Amateur Ends in Semfinals
UPDATE (June 21, 2024) -- Four-time MGA champion Luke Sample's run in The Amateur came to a close in the semifinal round, falling to Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen by a 3-and-1 margin at Ballyliffin in Ireland.
Related: The Amateur Home Page
Sample owned a 1-up advantage through seven holes, having two wins to Olesen's one. However, through the middle of the round, Olesen proved tough, making challening up-and-downs and holing lengthy putts. Olesen gained a 1-up lead of his own after wins on Nos. 8-9.
The rising Duke University senior battled though, drawing tied again when Olesen conceded the par-5 13th. Unfortunately a wayward Sample tee shot on the par-4 15th returned Olesen to the 1-up advantage. The Dane took advantage of the opportunity, making birdie on the next hole before taking the 17th as well with Sample finding himself in a couple of bunkers on the 17th.
"Well, it's unlike anything I've ever played," said Sample of Ballyliffin following his Round of 16 victory. "I've never played a proper links golf course, especially over here in Ireland. It's just a special, special place."
For Sample, the history and stature of The Amateur provided plenty of interest in competing one day.
"It was always an event that I would see it online and see it on social media," said Sample. "Just knowing how big of a deal this tournament is and how long it's been played and the history behind it. I wasn't able to do it in the past, and this summer, you kind of carved out some time to come over here and I was fortunate enough to be able to do so."
The match play format also made Sample particularly fond of the opportunity to compete.
"I've played a ton of match play, especially in events around New York," said Sample, who won both the Boys' Championship and Met Junior Championship in the match play format. "I've got a lot of experience in match play, and I think it's the most fun way to play golf." Sample has also competed in the match play portion of the Met Amateur three times, including making a run to the finals in 2020 at Bethpage Black.
Olesen ended up claiming The Amateur the following day, defeating England's Dominic Clemons by a 4-and-3 margin.
UPDATE (June 21, 2024) -- Winning three consecutive holes during the middle of his quarterfinal match at The Amateur helped lift Luke Sample to a 1-up victory over Matthew Dodd-Berry and secured his spot in the semifinals at Ballyliffin in Ireland.
Related: The Amateur Home Page | Scoring | R&A TV
Sample stood one hole down through six, but wins with par, birdie, and par quickly flipped the match in his favor. The par-4 10th was tied with birdie as Sample maintained his 2-up advantage. While Dodd-Berry won Nos. 11 and 13 and later No. 16 to return the match to tied, Sample never fell behind, winning Nos. 15 and 17 to maintain the advantage. The two traded pars on the closer for Sample to move into the semifinals.
He next faces Denmark's Jacob Skov Olesen at 9 a.m. Eastern.
The Amateur begins with 288 players competing in stroke play, with 64 advancing into match play. The winner secures exemptions into The Open and the U.S. Open and traditionally receives an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament.
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (June 20, 2024) -- A trio of match play wins have four-time MGA champion Luke Sample of New York, N.Y., into the Quarterfinal Round at The Amateur Championship, conducted by The R&A at Ballyliffin in Ireland.
Related: The Amateur Home Page | Scoring | R&A TV
Sample, a rising senior at Duke University, carded rounds of 69-76 in stroke play qualifying to tie for 28th and stand as just three Americans to advance to the match play bracket.
In the opening round featuring 64 players, Sample defeated Sergio Jimenez of Spain by a 1-up margin.
In the Round of 32, Sample and England's Conor Wough didn't tie a hole until the ninth, but Sample held the 4-up advantage thanks to consecutive wins on Nos. 5-8. Wough only managed one more win the rest of the way as Sample earned the 3-and-2 victory.
The 21-year-old then never trailed against Englishman Harry Crocket, winning by a 4-and-3 margin. Sample won Nos. 2 and 5 with pars, and though Crocket took the par-3 seventh, Sample won the next two holes and then wins on Nos. 13 and 14 extended the advantage to 4-up and helped Sample seal his spot in the Quarterfinals.
Sample will next square off against England's Matthew Dodd-Berry, who was the Southern Conference Freshman of the Year in 2022-23 at Eastern Tennessee State.
The final stages of the championship will be shown live on The R&A's broadcast channel, R&A TV.