Amateur Championship: Play abanonded at Royal Birkdale and West Lancashire

THE first round of strokeplay qualifying at The Amateur Championship and The Women’s Amateur Championship was abandoned late on Tuesday afternoon.

The start of play was delayed by two hours in the morning due to inclement weather.

Following a second suspension of play this afternoon at both courses – Royal Birkdale for the men and West Lancashire for the women – the decision was made to cancel the first round and all scores from Tuesday’s play.

A cut in both championships will now be made after one round of stroke play qualifying to be played tomorrow (Wednesday August 26).

The top 64 players and ties will go through to the matchplay stage. The top 64 players will also progress to matchplay at The Women’s Amateur.

The normal field for the men’s event was cut in half when The R&A decided to abandon its normal policy of playing the qualifying event at two nearby venues.

Providing the first round is completed at both Lancashire courses on Wednesday, the preliminary round and second round will be played on Thursday, with the last 32 and 16 taking place on Friday.

The quarter and semi-finals are scheduled for Saturday with a 36-hole final in both championships set for Sunday.

The men’s winner will secure an exemptions to The 2021 Open Championship and the US Open, and by tradition, an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament.

The women’s champion will be invited to play in the 2021 AIG Women’s Open, and can expect an invite to play in the Augusta National Women’s Amateur, which was inaugurated in 2019.

•Tee times for Royal Birkdale are available at www.randa.org and for West Lancashire by clicking here.