Opening Golf to the World
Boys' Amateur
Hawkins sparks qualifying finale as Self tops boys’ amateur standings
11 Aug 26
3 mins
Poland’s Antoni Hawkins unleashed a sizzling salvo on his back nine at glorious Gailes Links to progress to the match play stages of the Boys’ Amateur Championship in style.
While England’s Cole Self claimed the number one qualifying position on an eight-under-par aggregate, Hawkins illuminated a thrilling stretch coming home with a hole-in-one on the 15th as he surged through on a five-under-par total following a fine six-under 65. London-based Hawkins was one under for the day through 11 holes before his round burst into life with a brace of birdies at the 12th and 13th. After a par-saving up-and-down from 150 yards on the 14th, the 18-year-old flighted a wedge into the par-3 15th which rolled into the hole for his first ace in championship conditions. Another birdie on the 16th gilded the lily.
Antoni Hawkins enjoyed a six-under-par round, which included an ace.
“I thought my tee shot was good on 15 but I never knew it was in until I heard some cheering,” said Hawkins of his memorable moment. “It was a real bonus and a great feeling.”
Hawkins underlined his talent earlier this season when he harnessed the rigorous conditions at Cruden Bay to win the Scottish Boys’ Open Championship.
“Scotland has been good to me this year,” added Hawkins, who is set to begin a scholarship at the University of Missouri next week. “That win was one of the biggest achievements by a Polish junior golfer. It wasn’t just big for me; it was big for Polish golf.
“Knowing I can do it on a stage like that really motivated me and hopefully there is more to come.”
At the head of the standings, Self recovered from an early double-bogey to fire a 66 and take stroke play honours. He was joined on eight-under by Norway’s Mathias Aase, who shot a 67, but Self will take top seed status based on a lower second round.
Cole Self finished top of the stroke play leaderboard.
Having leaked two shots on the 4th, Cheshire Boys’ captain Self reeled off three birdies in-a-row from the 5th before pulling another hat-trick of gains out of the bag from the 12th to move to the front.
Self has adopted a more relaxed approach to his golf this year and that peaceful state of mind continues to bear fruit.
“I always used to get a bit down on myself and struggled with the mental side of the game,” he admitted. “So I had a good look at myself in the mirror and made a change this year. I’m just trying to enjoy my golf. I play better when I do.”
Aase, the Scottish Open Under-16 champion in 2024, birdied his last two holes to finish with a flourish. France’s Jayson Piermont and Gonzalo Banos Ramos of Spain finished a shot further back in a share of third on seven-under.
Youp Orsel of the Netherlands was fifth on six-under, while Italy’s Paolo Perrino blasted a best-of-the-day 64 - including an eagle and five birdies in an eight-hole stretch - to barge his way into a share of sixth on five-under.
To view the final stroke play leaderboard, click here.