Historic day for Estonian golf: Jegers and Teder reach top 32 at prestigious tournament

Kevin Christopher Jegers and Richard Teder have made history in Estonian golf, both advancing to the last 32 at The Amateur Championship. Jegers defeated Belgian Jarno Tollenaire and Teder defeated Mexican Vincent Cervantes to reach the top 32. On Thursday, both face new challenges against strong opponents.

Kevin Christopher Jegers (Niitvälja Golf Club) and Richard Teder made history in Estonian golf on Wednesday when both advanced to the last 32 at the prestigious The Amateur Championship.

Jegers displayed dominant play in his morning match, defeating Belgian international Jarno Tollenaire and leading for most of the encounter by two to three holes. In the afternoon, Richard Teder had to battle hard through to the final hole. Although he too led for most of the match by two to three holes, he lost back-to-back holes at the 15th and 16th, resulting in his victory over Mexican Vincent Cervantes being just two holes.

Thursday's opponents

On Thursday at 9.48, Jegers faces German international Emil Riegger, who failed to progress beyond the first matchplay round at The Amateur Championship last year but achieved two victories at US university tournaments last winter. Teder will face American Deitrek Gill, who finished the stroke-play portion tied for sixth place; their match begins at 11.27.

Riegger made it into the tournament's last 64 only through a play-off: on Tuesday morning, 21 players competed in a play-off for the final 10 spots in the last 64, during which Riegger defeated Czech player Louis Klein at the final hole. A similar play-off was unsuccessful for Luke Poulter, fifth in the WAGR rankings, and defending finalist Gavin Tiernan, who had defeated Teder in the quarter-finals at that time.

Notable early exits

The first round of matchplay saw several highly-ranked players eliminated. This year's European rankings leader Eliot Baker lost to Irishman Stuart Grehan 3&2. Two-time stroke-play winner Scotsman Connor Graham fell to Dutchman Guus Lafeber at the first extra hole. The last remaining Finn, Sakke Siltala, the previous year's European Championship bronze medallist, fell to Spaniard Marcel Fonseca Aguilar 3&2, and Irishman Niall Donegan, ranked 21st in the WAGR, lost to Frenchman Arthur Carlier 4&3.