British Amateur Championship

Northants County’s Ben Jones produced a magnificent performance in the British Amateur Championship as he won five knockout rounds before losing in the semi-finals in Ireland.
Two late birdies on par three holes helped the England international come through strokeplay qualifying by just one stroke with scores of 77 and 70 at the Island GC and Portmarnock GC.
In the preliminary knockout round, Jones needed four extra holes to get the better of Jayden Schaper (South Africa), before defeating John Axelsen (Denmark) on the 18th hole in round two.
A 3&2 victory over Simon Bukrinsky (Denmark) meant Jones reached the last 16, where he beat Bailey Gill (Lindrick) 2&1, before he moved another step closer to a stunning victory by defeating Ronan Mullarney (Galway) 3&1.
With a place in the Open Championship and next year’s US Masters to the champion, hopes of following in the footsteps of previous winners Sergio García and Jose Maria Olazabal were ended in the semi’s as he lost 2&1 to Euan Walker (Kilmarnock Barassie).
In a field of 288 players, fellow county amateurs Robin Williams (Peterborough Milton) and Callum Farr (Northants County) both missed the cut.