Michael Muehr on Tuesday at the U.S. Mid-Amateur
(USGA)
ELVERSON, PA (September 13, 2016) -- Top-seed
Michael Muehr was the first man to punch his ticket
to
the quarterfinals of the U.S. Mid-Amateur at
Stonewall
Links' Old Course. Muehr was able to move forward
thanks to a 2&1 win over No. 17 Claudio Consul of
Germany.
Following halves on the first four holes Muehr
won
the 5th with a birdie and then the 7th hole to grab a
2
up lead. Over the next five holes Consul would
methodically chip away at the deficit and after a win
on
the 12th, following a win on the 9th the match was
all-
square.
Despite seeing Consul tie the match, Muehr was
not
deterred and he regained the lead on the ensuing
hole.
Three more halves followed before Muehr sealed the
deal on the 17th with a 12-foot par putt.
“It’s great to win a match like that; he’s a real
solid
player,” said Muehr a 2011 U.S. Mid-Amateur
quarterfinalist. “I was
fortunate to win.”
Muehr moved onto the Round of 32 with a 2&1
victory over No. 33 Gregor Orlando. In the match
Muehr
led much of the way and like in the Round of 16 he
finished the deal off on the 17th.
2014 champion Scott Harvey also remains alive
following a 3&2 triumph in the Round of 16 over No.
51
Christopher Ault. Harvey, the three-seed, took the
lead
on the 2nd hole and never looked back; leading by
as
many as 4 up. Throughout the match Harvey held at
least a 2 up advantage after 13-holes.
Harvey who has talked throughout the week
about
struggling with his game said, “I think I am just so
tired
that (my game) smoothed out a little bit, it sounds
crazy but that’s how I felt. It’s turning in the right
direction.”
For Harvey reaching the Round of 16 didn't look
likely midway through his Round of 32 match against
No. 35 Kenny Coakley. After Coakley won the 9th
hole
Harvey, one of three medalist winners this week,
found
himself 3 down. However, to nobodies
surprise Harvey
chipped away; winning the 11th hole with a six-foot
birdie,
the
12th hole and 15th to square the match. Following a
halve on the 16th, Harvey grabbed his first lead of
the
match on the 17th and then closed out a 1 up win
one
hole later.
Among the upsets during Tuesday afternoon was
two-seed and co-medalist winner Thomas
Werkmeister,
falling 3&1 to 15-seed Dan Sullivan. With wins on
the
first two holes Sullivan took a lead that he would
never
relinquish. On three occasions Werkmeister won
holes
to draw within 1 down but he was never able to get
over the hump.
Sullivan stayed steady throughout the tilt and
with
birdies on Nos. 14 and 17 he was able to create the
separation necessary.
Among those to fall in the Round of 16 was
defending champion Sammy Schmitz. With eight
holes
to go against No. 41 Scott Strickland, Schmitz held a
2
up lead, only to witness a tenacious rally.
Strickland won the 13th hole and then the 14th
with a birdie to square the battle, after a halve he
captured the 16th with a bogey to take the lead. A
pair
of halves followed and when the dust settled it was
Strickland moving to the quarterfinals thanks a 1 up
triumph.
“At our ages we move on pretty easily,” a
disappointed Schmitz said. “We have our family and
careers and it is not the end of the world.”
The highest remaining seed is No. 58 Joshua
Irving.
Wins over 26-seed Trevor Randolph 2&1 in the
Round of
32
and No. 10 Jesse Daley 3&1 in the Round of 16
punched his ticket to the quarterfinals.
All eight players that advanced to the
quarterfinals
are exempt from qualifying for next years U.S. Mid-
Amateur.
Following the completion of the quarterfinals the
semifinal will be contested. Live coverage can
viewed on
Fox Sports 1 from 3-5 p.m. EST.
QUARTERFINAL MATCHES
No. 1 Michael Muehr vs. No. 41
Scott Strickland (7:15 a.m.)
No. 45 Michael McDermott vs. No. 12 Stewart
Hagestad
(7:30 a.m.)
No. 15 Dan Sullivan vs. No. 58 Joshua Irving (7:45
a.m.)
No. 3 Scott Harvey vs. No. 54 David May (8:00 a.m.)
-The USGA contributed to this story
ABOUT THE U.S. Mid-Amateur
The U.S. Mid-Amateur originated in 1981 for the
amateur golfer of at least 25 years of age, the
purpose of which to provide a formal national
championship for the post-college player. 264
players
begin the championship with two rounds of sroke
play
qualifying held at two courses, after which the low
64
(with a playoff if necessary to get the exact number)
advance to single elimination match play.
View Complete Tournament Information