NYC's Sample Reaches Semi-Final of The Amateur Championship
BALLYLIFFIN, IRELAND – Luke Sample, a three-time NYS champion and native of New York City progressed to the semi-final of the 129th Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin Golf Club on Ireland’s northern tip.
Related: Results / Championship Central
Sample, a junior on Duke University’s golf team, scored two over par across two rounds of stroke play to finish T28, enough to advance him to the matchplay bracket.
He defeated Spain’s Sergio Jimenez in the Round of 32, Conor Gough of England in the Round of 16 and Harry Crockett of England in the third round.
Sample squared off with another Brit, Matthew Dodd-Berry on Friday morning in the Quarterfinals. The New Yorker battled past a slow start to lead by two at the turn. Dodd-Berry, who plays at East Tennessee State, made timely birdies on 13 and 16 to even things up with two to play. Sample held strong, making two pars to reclaim the lead while Dodd-Berry bogeyed No. 17.
Sample faced Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen Friday afternoon in the semi-final. Despite an early lead, Sample was unable to hold off a late surge from Skov Olesen, who plays collegiately for the University of Arkansas. The Razorback made three birdies - including a dagger on the 16th - to close out the 3 & 1 victory on the 17th hole. He will go against Dominic Clemons of England in the final match on Saturday.
Sample was the first American player to reach the Semifinal since former US Junior Champion and fellow New York State player Jim Liu in 2013.
Sample took home his first New York State title in 2017 with a four stroke victory in the Boys’ 14U Amateur Championship at Seven Oaks Golf Club. Sample followed that performance up with back-to-back 18U Championships in 2018 and 2019, taking both on the first hole of a two-man playoff. In 2020, At 17 years-old, he became the youngest Met Open Champion in the tournament's 105 year history. He finished at eight under, three clear of the field at Mountain Ridge Golf Club.
Sample committed to Duke as the 23rd ranked junior player in the nation out of Trevor Day School in Manhattan, and secured a team low stroke average of 71.47 in 38 rounds as a sophomore.
