<p>The 131st Amateur Championship gets underway at Royal Liverpool for a record 19th time next week. Credit The R&A.</p>
A world-class field featuring golfers from 41 countries will gather at Royal Liverpool and West Lancashire for The 131st Amateur Championship.
Taking place from 15-20 June, the Championship returns to Hoylake for a record 19th staging with 288 players competing to win one of the most prestigious titles in amateur golf and follow in the footsteps of past champions including Bobby Jones, José María Olazábal, Sergio Garcia and Matteo Manassero.
A number of players ranked in the top-100 of the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) will tee it up on Merseyside, including one player ranked in the world’s top-ten, four in the top-25 and ten in the top-50.
Together with a record-strength pre-qualifying field and 607 entries from around the world, it highlights the growing competition for places in one of amateur golf’s most coveted championships.
Johnnie Cole-Hamilton, Chief Championships Officer at The R&A, said, "The Amateur Championship holds a special place in our sport and continues to attract talented players from all over the world. With competitors from 41 countries and two outstanding host venues in Royal Liverpool and West Lancashire, we are looking forward to welcoming the next generation of amateur golfers to Merseyside.
"The Championship has a proud history dating back to 1885 and many of the game's greatest players have lifted this trophy before going on to enjoy successful careers. We are excited to see who will emerge from this year's field and add their name to that distinguished list."
England's Luke Poulter (9) leads the field and is joined by fellow Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team-mates Stuart Grehan (56) of Ireland, Scotland's Connor Graham (36) and Niall Shiels Donegan (31). South Africa's Daniel Bennett (16), American Kihei Akina (22) and Tim Wiedemeyer (28) of Germany also arrive having enjoyed impressive collegiate seasons.
Players from 41 countries will be represented, highlighting the Championship's international appeal. This year's field also includes competitors from Hungary and the United Arab Emirates for the first time, with Bence Bertenyi and Rayan Ahmed becoming their nation’s first representatives in the Championship.
Several players arrive with significant achievements already secured this season. Japan's Taisei Nagasaki finished runner-up at the Asia-Pacific Amateur Championship last October, South Africa's Jack Buchanan is the reigning Africa Amateur champion and France's Lev Grinberg recently captured the St Andrews Links Trophy.
Recent high performers at The Amateur will also be among those hoping to contend again this year. Ireland's Gavin Tiernan returns after finishing runner-up in 2025, while Finland's Veikka Viskari, Italy's Riccardo Fantinelli and France's Matthis Lefevre all had notable runs in last year's match play stages. To view the full field visit randa.org.
Founded in 1885, The Amateur Championship is one of the oldest and most prestigious amateur championships in the world. Royal Liverpool hosted the inaugural Championship and this year marks the 19th time it has staged The Amateur, more than any other venue, while neighbouring West Lancashire, one of the 24 clubs that contributed to the purchase of the original Amateur Championship trophy in 1886, will host stroke play qualifying.
Pre-Qualifying is taking place at West Lancashire today, where 72 players are competing for the final 22 places in the Championship field. Follow live scores at randa.org.
Colm Campbell Jr, Patrick Curran, Patrick Keeling, Gavin O’Neill, Conor Stapleton, Cian O’Connor, Dylan Keating, Gerard Dunn, David Lally, Keith Egan, David Howard and Aodhagan Brady will be bidding to join the already qualified Jake Foley, Joshua Hill, Caolan Rafferty, Jonathan Keane, Stuart Grehan, Matthew McClean, Jack Murphy, Thomas Higgins, Sean Keeling and Gavin Tiernan.
Following two rounds of stroke play, the leading 64 players and ties will progress to the match play stages, culminating in a 36-hole final on Saturday.
The champion will earn exemptions into The Open, the US Open, a DP World Tour event and, by tradition, an invitation to compete in the Masters Tournament, provided they retain their amateur status.
The Runner-Up will receive a spot in Final Qualifying and the Last Chance Qualifier for The Open. The Quarter Finalists will earn an exemption into Final Qualifying for The Open.
Article Link: 12 Irish bid to join 10 qualifiers in Amateur Championship at Royal Liverpool - News - Irish Golf Desk