It is possible to play golf in a difficult way.
Christo Lamprecht, a Georgia Tech golfer, was in a bad way at the NCAA Championship held at Grayhawk Golf Club, Scottsdale, Arizona, just a few weeks ago. Lamprecht hit balls on the practice range before his match-play final against Florida’s Yuxin Li, but he dropped his shoulders and head after almost every swing. He lost because he couldn’t get his swing right.
Lamprecht, a South African, who will be a senior in the fall, won one of the most prestigious amateur titles on the planet. Lamprecht won the 128th amateur championship at Hillside Golf Club, Southport, England. He defeated Iowa’s Ronan Kleu in the 36 hole final on Saturday by a score of 3 to 2. It’s his third cup in six years, and the second consecutive South African win.
Christiaan Maas was the winner for the second year in a row. He is an incoming sophomore student at Texas.
Christo Lamprecht, South Africa, holds the trophy along with his caddie Christiaan maas after his victory in the Final of Match Play at Day Four of The Amateur Championship on June 24, 2023 at Hillside Golf Club in Southport. (Photo by Octavio Pasos/R&A/R&A through Getty Images).
Lamprecht, who stands at 6’8″, had to have some major moments on Friday in order to make it into the Amateur Championship Final. Lamprecht was two down against England’s Frank Kennedy with three holes left to play in his semifinal match. He won the last three holes, including an eagle, to advance.
Lamprecht won two of his four final holes in the morning wave to gain a 2-up advantage going into the break. He was 4-up with seven holes left to play, but Kleu won two consecutive holes for a 2-up advantage with five remaining.
Lamprecht then nearly holed a pitch shot on the par-4 15, and tapped in a birdie. Kleu couldn’t match him and both players made par on 16th par 3 to award Lamprecht the title. He is ranked sixth by the World Amateur Golf Ranking.
Christo’s winning moment
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The R&A 24 June 2023 HTML0
Lamprecht’s win is monumental in other ways, such as his exemptions to majors. Lamprecht will be on the field for the 151st Open Championship next month at Royal Liverpool. He also has a place in the 2024 Masters at Pinehurst No. 2.
Kleu, 23 years old, is the only Swiss player to have ever advanced to the Amateur Championship Final. Raphael De Souza reached the final at Royal Troon 20 years ago, but lost to Gary Wolstenholme from England.
