Good mates Harrison Crowe and Corey Lamb are ready to go head-to-head for the biggest win in their respective young careers in a showdown for the 2022 Australian Master of The Amateurs Crown tomorrow at Victoria Golf Club.
The traditional moving day was a tale of two different rounds: Overnight leader Crowe struggled all afternoon in the testing winds and on the uncompromising Victorian Golf Club greens.
Lamb, meanwhile, relished the conditions, carding the day’s best round, a four-under 68, to rocket up the leaderboard and into the final grouping alongside Crowe.
After starting the day two in front, Crowe, with two birdies and three bogies on the front nine, seemed to be keeping his nose out of trouble. However, it changed quickly, and bogies on the 13th and 16th left him tied with Lamb. A spectacular eagle on the last stopped the rot, and a relieved Crowe signed for a hard-earned 72.
“Its such a demanding golf course. You’ve got to put yourself in the exact correct position off the tee to get to the right spot on the green. Add the wind and it’s brutal.”
“There are some holes you simply cannot get it close, and you’ve got to back your putter from 30-40 feet. I was a bit nervous on some of them today and made a few sloppy three-putts.
“You just can’t do that at this stage of a tournament.”
Lamb, in contrast, was delighted with his day’s work post-round.
“Yeah, I played really solid. I love conditions like this, firm, fast, and pretty windy. I enjoyed it out there a lot.
“I holed a lot of putts today. I had eight putts in my first eight holes.
“I hit it into four bunkers all day and got out to a foot every time, too,” Lamb grinned.
Despite their differing fortunes today, the pair anticipate a keen contest in tomorrow’s final round. Although great mates, everyone knows tomorrow is all about bragging rights as much as it is about the win.
“He’s a good mate,” Crowe smiled.” We played NSW Junior interstate twice and a lot of school golf, so it’s pretty cool to think about it to lads from the same team butting head-to-head for the biggest title of our careers.”
“Yeah, we are good mates. We just haven’t been able to play golf together for a few years, so it will be good fun tomorrow.
“May the best man win, that’s it,” Lamb grinned.