Oklahoma senior Ryder Cowan began his long day with a birdie in a playoff to advance to match play and ended it by chipping in for par on the 17th hole at Merion to take down Miles Russell on Wednesday in the U.S. Amateur.
Match Play
Cowan was part of a 16-way playoff for the final 11 spots and made birdie on the first hole to advance, which sent him out immediately against Russell.
The match was all square until Russell came up well short on the 16th hole, into a front bunker and facing a shot to a front pin. He caught too much of the ball and sent it over the green, and Cowan took a 1-up lead.
Cowan was short-sided on the par-3 17th and left his first chip in the rough. He found perfection on the next one, just getting it on the green and watching it roll into the cup for par. Russell missed a 10-foot par putt to extend the match.
Other top-ranked players also advanced, including Tennessee freshman Tyler Watts and Auburn junior William Jennings.
Original reporting: Alexandria, VA News – WTOP News — read the source article.
