THE AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP - McDonald through to quarter finals

Jack McDonald

Jack McDonald's quest for the 2012 Amateur Championship title was extended at Royal Troon on Thursday evening when he won through to the quarter finals.

After his marathon match on Thursday morning which went to the sixth extra hole, McDonald faced Irishman Rory McNamara from Headford GC for a place in the quarter finals.

McDonald, who plays out of Kilmarnock (Barassie), went one down at the first and remained behind for most of the match until he took a couple of holes in the middle of the inward half to forge a one hole lead playing the sixteenth.

McNamara had a good opportunity for a four to win 16 but his putt swung left of the hole leaving McDonald still one ahead.

A good chip and putt from the left of the 17th green for a par three was enough for McDonald to maintain his one hole advantage to the last.

At the final hole both players were well positioned from the tee but with the hole towards the front right of the green, both players saw their approach shots drift into the greenside right bunker.

Playing first, McDonald hit a superb bunker shot to within six feet of the hole. Attempting to play a delicate bunker shot to get close to the pin, McNamara failed to extracate his ball from the bunker at his first attempt and, despite getting up and down from the bunker with his second effort for a five, left McDonald with two putts from six feed for a place in the last eight. Although his par putt just failed to drop, McDonald had done enough to have a closing five conceded to give him a one hole victory.

In Friday's quarter finals, McDonald faces Engand's Toby Tree from Worthing GC in a tie scheduled to tee off at 9.00 am.

Scotland has one other representative in the quarter finals in Paul Ferrier of Baberton GC in Edinburgh. Ferrier tees off at 8.15 am on Friday morning against Matthew Steiger  of Australia for a place in the semi finals.