Match-play field set at Southern Hills: Campus Insider: Golf Digest

Match-play field set at Southern Hills

Wednesday, August 26, 2009 Comments

TULSA, OKLA.--They're down to 64 here at Southern Hills CC.

Finally.

After two grueling days of stroke-play competition in sticky, 95-degree heat at the 109th U.S. Amateur Championship, where the scoring average at Southern Hills and Cedar Ridge GC was a hefty 76.49 and the cut was eight-over 148, 27 golfers had to return Wednesday morning to play off for four unfilled spots in the match-play bracket.

Tyson Alexander, Brenton Flynn, Justin Bardgett and John Kostis advanced after four holes and a little more than three hours. Kostis got the last spot and draws medalist Tim Jackson for his first-round opponent. The irony of this match-up is that the two were in the same threesome that was repeatedly warned about slow play during the second round of stroke play Tuesday. Jackson received a one-shot penalty at the end of the round, but still claimed medalist honors, while Kostis did not, allowing him to get into the playoff in the first place.

*****

The 27 participants played the par-3 14th hole first, with Alexander pitching in from 20 yards off the green for a birdie and Flynn making a 15-foot birdie putt. Eleven players made pars and moved on to the second playoff hole, the par-4 15th. There, Bardgett made a 15-foot birdie putt while five others made par to extend the playoff to a third hole. On the 16th, two players--Kostis and Cameron Hooper--made pars but it was a birdie 3 on the 17th hole from Kostis that ended the playoff.