Amateur Championship: Olesen becomes first Dane to land title

Jacob Skov Olesen became the first Danish player to win the Amateur Championship as he beat England’s Dominic Clemons 4&3 in Saturday’s 36-hole final at Ballyliffin.

Olesen, 25, was two up after the opening 18 holes and won four straight holes to lead by six after the 23rd.

Clemons, 21, did win the 27th and 28th holes with a birdie and an eagle to cut the deficit but Olesen held his nerve to complete victory on the 15th green at the Glashedy course.

Olesen’s victory secures him a place in next month’s Open Championship at Royal Troon, the 2025 US Open and, by tradition, an invitation to the play in the Masters.

“It hasn’t really sunk in,” Olesen told R&A TV after his victory.

“But I’m so happy and so proud and so thankful for everyone. Overall, an emotional day.”

Cambridgeshire player Clemons won the Scottish Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship at Muirfield by a remarkable 17 shots earlier this month.

Ballyliffin hosted the DP World Tour’s Irish Open in 2018 and this is the first time the Amateur Championship has been played at the north Donegal course, with stroke play qualifying taking place at both the venue’s Old Links and Glashedy courses.