Sam Hutsby will attempt to become the first golfer from Hampshire to win the British Amateur Championship today at Formby, with a place in next month’s Open at Turnberry -  and even more tantalisingly - an invitation to the 2010 Masters at Augusta the reward for writing a page in the county’s golf history.

The 20-year-old from Liphook Golf Club held his nerve to win at the third extra hole when the England international found himself in sudden-death in his semi-final against Sunningdale’s Stiggy Hodgson on Friday afternoon.

Hutsby who has been using StrokeAverage.com to analyse his game since the start of this season as part of the EGU squad system.  Both Hutsby and his opponent had good birdie chances at the 18^th hole, but they had to wait until the 21^st hole when Hutsby sank his putt for a birdie four after Hodgson found trouble off the tee, to book his place in today’s final of the R&A’s 114^th British Amateur Championship.

Standing between the England international and a place in the field against Tiger Woods & Co at both Turnberry on July 16, and Augusta next April, is Italian teenage sensation Matteo Manassero, who beat Worthing’s Darren Renwick in the other semi.

Hutsby has far more experience over his rival on top of the four years’ seniority in age. Sam, who is a member at Liphook Golf Club, has already won the Spanish Amateur Championship at the age of just 17, beating another Italian in the process – Eduardo Molinari, who was the reigning US Amateur Champion at the time.

And Hutsby came close to becoming the first Brit to win the Spanish Amateur Championship twice back in February, losing to Dutchman Reinier Saxton, the current British Amateur Champion, in the final in Seville in February.

Hutsby has just been picked to represent England in the European Team Championship just up the coast at Hillside at the end of this month and his form at Formby this week, has made him a virtual shoe in for the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup that will face the Americans at Philadelphia’s Merion in September.

Only one other player from Hampshire has appeared in the amateur equivalent to the Ryder Cup in the event’s 88-year history – Justin Rose who set a record as the youngest ever player to appear in the Walker Cup back in 1997.

But not even Rose, who became famous overnight when finishing fourth as an amateur in the 1998 Open at Royal Birkdale, managed to win the British Amateur.

And if Sam can eclipse his Italian opponent today in the 36-hole final, he will not have to come through qualifying for his place in the Open as Justin did.

And another incentive for Hutsby is that he led the qualifiers over 36 holes when the British Amateur was held at Turnberry last summer, only to get knocked out in the first round of the matchplay phase.

But Hutsby knows he faces a tough test today. Manassero led qualifying this week with a superb course record 65 at Formby, finishing four shots clear of Hutsby in second spot.

And the 16-year-old has already finished in the top 30 at this year’s Italian Open on the European Tour, after receiving a special invite to appear in the professional event.