Click here for Match Play Scoring Tree Western Australian Oliver Goss is the last remaining Australian at the US Amateur after making through to the quarter finals in Colorado. The National Squad member defeated Michael Miller on the 20th hole in an extraordinary morning match before accounting for Bobby Leopold 2&1 in the Round of 16. He&aposll face Kentucky&aposs Justin Thomas for a place in the semis. “He just played unbelievable golf in the morning,” Golf Australia&aposs High Performance Director Brad James said. “The last 6 holes were a joy to watch. This course suits him – he hits the ball hard and very high and it lands beautifully. Even on the long par 3s, his ball flight works so well around here,” he added. The win has left Goss a little in awe of his achievements. “It&aposs fantastic experience for him because he&aposs getting press over here, he&aposs had to do Golf Channel interviews, people are asking for his autograph and it&aposs a whole new experience for him,” James said. Goss played golf described by the USGA as “Arnold Palmer go-for-broke style” in his round of 32 match against Michael Miller. USGA writer Dave Shedloski wrote of his Round 32 match: The shot seemed destined for disaster. There were 200 yards to cover, uphill, from a fairway bunker with a steep lip to clear. But when the 8-iron landed inches beyond a greenside bunker and settled 7 feet from the hole, Michael Miller couldn’t believe it. He flipped his wedge in the air in amazement. Unfortunately, it wasn t his shot. Oliver Goss of Australia, who had been playing something akin to Arnold Palmer-like, go-for-broke golf for the previous two hours, struck the fateful stroke at the par-4 second hole at Cherry Hills Country Club. And when he holed the putt for birdie, he had claimed victory in 20 holes Thursday afternoon in the second round of the 112th U.S. Amateur. I kept telling myself I was out of options. I had to start playing aggressively and making some putts. Fortunately, they started going in, said Goss, who rallied from 3 down with eight holes remaining to stun Miller, 20, of Brewster, New York. I just made it happen. Miller s par at No. 13 restored a 2-up advantage when Goss couldn’t get up and down from the front-left greenside bunker. But Goss erased that with two more birdies, at 16 and 17. The first was earned with a 14-foot putt, and the second with a two-putt birdie from 20 feet when he reached the green from 250 yards with a 5-iron. Goss also received a break on 17 when Miller pulled a 4-foot birdie try after an excellent pressure-filled wedge approach. If there was one shot I d want to have back, it s that putt at 17 that let him get back to even, Miller, a former Penn State University standout, said glumly. Otherwise, it was all him. He played some unbelievable golf down the stretch. The match might have ended on 18, but Miller, after a 5-iron from 250 yards, left a 22-foot birdie try on the lip. Goss, meanwhile, saved par from a sticky greenside lie, keeping the match alive with a 6-foot putt. After the 19th hole, the par-4 first, was halved with pars, Goss ended things. Miller just missed his birdie try from 40 feet and then watched Goss roll in the winner. I started pretty shaky, but I found my swing, said Goss, who ended up making birdie on five of his last 10 holes. Still flubbed a few, but I m feeling good about my game now.
Author: Golf Australia