Lee through as Giles awaits playoff
BY Anthony Powter | US Mens Amateur Tour | 2008 US Amateur Championship | Round Two | 20 Aug 2008
Danny Lee has qualified for the match play section of the US Amateur being played at Pinehurst in North Carolina.
The world number one amateur fired rounds of 70-71 to be 1-over-par and in T20 position after the two round qualification series, six strokes from Robbie Fillmore, 22, of Provo, Utah, who shot a 5-under-par 65 on Pinehurst’s No.4 course for a combined two round total of 6-under-par to win medalist honours. Wesley Bryan of Chapin, South Carolina finished second, two strokes behind Fillmore
Lee’s second round included a pair of clutch birdies on the 4th and 7th holes after he turned in two-over-par playing the back nine on Pinehurst’s No.2 layout first.
“I’m playing pretty well and hitting my irons close,” said Lee, 18, after his second round.
“The greens are hard at times to read and I missed a few putts today, but I feel like I’m hitting the ball well and can continue to play well.”
Lee has been playing and practising in the US since the end of May in a period which has included a punishing schedule of both professional and amateur tournaments.
“I really learned so much last week about the game that I didn’t know before,” said Lee, who finished in T20 place at the PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship. Last month Lee also secured the Western Amateur for his first major amateur championship in the US.
“It’s certainly helping me this week as I feel confident with my game.”
Australian Matthew Giles finds himself in a twenty-six player playoff for the final two berths in the match play, which will be played tomorrow at Pinehurst’s No.4.
A second round 4-over-par 74 hurting Giles after he opened with 1-over-par 71 to finish the two round qualification at 5-over-par and right on the cut mark.
“My approach shots let me down today,” said Giles who played his first nine at even par only to let it slip with five bogeys and a 4-over-par 39 for second nine.
“I kept hitting the edge of the greens and they all just rolled off. It was very disappointing with the finish I had today.”
The twenty-six competitors in the playoff is the second most in Amateur history, eclipsed only by the 31 players in 1988. Despite the numbers, Giles remains optimistic and plans to attack the holes early in an attempt to remain alive in his first US Amateur.
“I’m still hanging in there, so just go out tomorrow and make some birdies and see how it goes.”
Among those also advancing with the top 64 to match play section were 2007 USA Walker Cup player Kyle Stanley at 2-under-par, 2004 US Junior Amateur champion Sihwan Kim, 2003 Junior Amateur champion and 2005 Walker Cup player Brian Harman of Savannah, and 2007 Walker Cup team member Billy Horschel of Gainesville.
