Brett Drewitt (Long Reef GC) has started the best of the NSW players after the first round of this year s US Amateur Championship being held in Colorado. Drewitt fired a 69 (-1) at the Common Grounds GC which consisted of 13 pars, 3 birdies and 2 bogeys. Currently in T32 he sits comfortably inside the Top 64 mark which qualifies for the match play section of the championship. Matt Stieger (St Michael s GC) has also commenced well firing 71 (E) at the former US Open venue Cherry Hills which has him positioned T46. Stieger started solidly birdieing the 10th hole (his 1sT) but followed that with two double bogies on the 11th and 15th holes to turn in 38. To his credit he remained composed and returned in 33 (-2). Jake Higginbottom the third NSW player to qualify for this year s event struggled to get anything going after birdieing the famous Cherry Hills first hole. Higginbottom bogeyed 3, 4, 8 and 9 to turn in in 37(+2). Jake steadied early on the back nine but bogeyed three of his last 4 holes to post 76 (+5). Jake will need to show some of the form he displayed earlier this year when he won the Riversdale Cup to move up from his current position T184 into the top 64. Tasmania s Ryan McCarthy finished the best placed Australian after shooting 67 (-3) to be in T9. University of Alabama All-American Bobby Wyatt (WAGR #7) from Mobile Alabama, is the first round stroke play qualifying leader after shooting an impressive 64 (-7) on the Cherry Hills layout. Wyatt is famous for shooting 57 in the Alabama Junior Championship when he was 17 years old.
Author: Khan Pullen