Live tweets from Massachusetts of the semi-final from Brad James – GA High Performance Program Director @bradjamesgolf LIVE SCORING MATCH PLAY Match Play Tree Australia is guaranteed a player in the final of this year&aposs U.S Amateur Championship after Western Australian pair Brady Watt and Oliver Goss reached the semi finals and will play each other on Saturday at the 7,310-yard, par-70 The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts. Both Watt and Goss are looking to become the first Australian to win the U.S Amateur since Nick Flanagan in 2003. The U.S Amateur champion earns invitations to the 2014 Masters Tournament at Augusta National, the 2014 U.S Open at Pinehurst and the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool. Royal Perth member Watt rallied on the inward nine to defeat Scottie Scheffler, 17, of Dallas, 1 up, on Friday and reach the semifinal round of match play. Watt, who was the stroke-play co-medalist with England&aposs Neil Raymond and earned the No. 2 seed, was 2 down after 12 holes. But Scheffler made bogey on the par-4 13th when he hit his approach shot into the left greenside bunker. Watt, 23, squared the match on No. 15 when he sank an 18-foot birdie putt that was nearly up against the collar on the back fringe. Scheffler, who was attempting to become the first U.S. Junior Amateur champion to advance to the U.S. Amateur semifinals since 1986, had an opportunity to regain the lead but missed his 5-foot birdie putt to the right on the par-3 16th. After halving the following hole, Scheffler found the front greenside bunker on the 431-yard, par-4 18th. He was unable to reach the green from the ball s depression in the sand, which led to a bogey. I was about 185 (yards), and I went with 4 (iron) and I hit a little cut, said Scheffler, who was the last American remaining in the field. I think the wind kind of gusted on me. I came up short, and then just didn t have much in the bunker. Meanwhile, Watt was able to get up and down from just off the right side of the green. He chipped out of the rough and made a 5-foot, downhill par putt to win the match and complete the comeback. I was a little bit off both ways with my shots, said Watt, who arrived in the United States for the first time seven weeks ago. But I hung in there, kind of down the stretch, got it back to 1 down and then holed a good putt on 15, and then a really good up and down on the last to close it out. Royal Fremantle member Goss will be paired against his countryman Watt in the semifinals after upending Brandon Matthews, 19, of Dupont, Pennsylvania 5 and 3. A U.S. Amateur quarterfinalist for the second consecutive year, Goss won the opening two holes and never trailed. Matthews hit his first tee shot out of bounds, leading to a triple bogey, and conceded a par putt on the second. Goss extended his advantage to a 3-up lead by making an 8-foot par putt on No. 10. I definitely didn t expect to win 5 and 3 today, said Goss, who said his 12-foot par putt to halve the par-4 13th was a key point in his quarterfinal match. My first two matches were really tight. I think I played 53 out of 54 holes. But I m glad I got the job done. Pairings for Saturday s semifinal round of match play at the 2013 U.S. Amateur Championship: (Upper Bracket) 9 a.m. – Corey Conners, Canada vs. Matt Fitzpatrick, England (Lower Bracket) 9:15 a.m. – Brady Watt, Australia vs. Oliver Goss, Australia
Author: Golf Australia