Steve Bardens/R&A via Getty Images

By Kent Gray
A week after teaming up to help England to R&A Girls’ and Boys’ Home Internationals glory, Dubai-based Josh Hill and Jack Bigham are back to being very friendly rivals.

So far at the (British) Boys’ Amateur Championship, Bigham has the upper hand, having secured medallist honours after the strokeplay phase of the U-18 event at Royal Cinque Ports on the Kent coast.

The Harpenden member fired rounds of 69-67 for a 136, eight-under-par aggregate, three clear of Scot Jamie Mann. Hill wasn’t too far behind, finishing tied 6th on one-under143 following rounds of 71-72.

The Trump Dubai International Golf Club member was eventually seeded 9th for the matchplay phase and will meet another Englishman, Sam Johnson (Astbury) in today’s round of 64.

Bigham, who faces German Morris Schiefner, last week partnered Hill to three foursome wins at the Home Internationals at Woodhall Spa.

Barrington Coombs/R&A via Getty Images
Jack Bigham and Josh Hill during the R&A Girls’ and Boys’ Home Internationals at the Bracken Course, Woodhall Spa Golf Course on August 6, 2021, in Woodhall Spa, United Kingdom.

“I am happy, I just tried to carry on the form I had from the back nine yesterday and it worked. I holed a few nice putts on the front nine and just played solidly to be honest,’’ Bigham told randa.org.

Bigham now knows he’s got a target on his back.

“Obviously I have played well, and I will just try to forget about where I have finished. Matchplay is just completely different to strokeplay, but yes hopefully I will just carry on the good golf that I have played and see how I go.’’