Alfie Plant: What a way to launch a pro career!
By Yash Padhye
What’s next for Alfie Plant? Whatever it is, he’s certainly made a fine start!
Alfie Plant put on quite a show at the Open Championship this past week, beginning when he became the only amateur to make the cut. Plant shot a three-over par 73 in the final round. He ended up shooting six-over par for the Open.
Plant, the son of a parcel deliveryman and a postmistress, enjoyed a level of heroic gallery support that’s generally reserved for the final group on Sunday at the Open Championship. Team Alfie, decked out in proper white working class tee shirts and caps and waving banners, followed Plant as he plowed his way through his practice rounds and then 72 grueling Royal Birkdale tournament holes in fair weather and foul.
The East Londoner’s fan club, Team Alfie, gathered in the Birkdale pavilion and started celebrating Plant’s low amateur award with singing and champagne before the final round was completed. In fact, at one point tournament officials intervened because Team Alfie was disturbing players who were putting out on the 18th green.
Eagle for Alfie Plant! The amateur @lad_golf is on track to play this weekend #TheOpen pic.twitter.com/ojg7n5k0PP
— The Open (@TheOpen) July 21, 2017
Lots of Support
Plant was the only amateur of five who started the tournament to survive the cut. Alfie had a lot of support this week with his followers wearing #TeamAlfie t-shirts.
Best supported player out on the course at #TheOpen?
— BBC 5 Live Sport (@5liveSport) July 20, 2017
Rory? ❌
Rose? ❌
Ever heard of Alfie Plant?#bbcgolf pic.twitter.com/HgqHqqrX1R
His fans could be seen walking all over Royal Birkdale over the weekend. All in all, he had a total of 150 followers and fans.
He told ESPN after his final round,
"It sent shivers down my spine walking up the last. I had my brother [and caddie] walking up beside me — it was a really good feeling."
By winning the silver medal, Plant joined a list comprised of players like Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy, and fellow countryman Justin Rose who have earned that coveted Open Championship low amateur award.
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Playing for Nan
Plant dedicated this tournament to his great-grandmother who passed away while he was playing. Her funeral is to be held later this week.
He told the BBC,
"I tried to put it to the back of my mind, as best as possible. But, every time I looked at the bag, I got a gentle reminder, and she was definitely with me this week."
The daily telegraph in the UK questioned him about what he would do if he would have been able to cash the check he would have received had he been a pro.
He told them,
"If you ask my girlfriend, she’d definitely say a ring. I’m really not sure. Some new clothes would be nice or a nice holiday."
Plant will turn professional in September. His hope is to make the Walker Cup team in the fall.
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He was the low amateur this week, but the golfing world will be seeing a lot of #TeamAlfie and Plant in the future.