Roger Newsom (Virginia Beach, Va.) advanced to the Quarterfinals (photo credit: USGA)
TRUCKEE, Calif. - After the rounds of 32 and 16 on Tuesday, just two Society of Seniors members remain in the running for the title at the 68th U. S. Senior Amateur Championship at Martis Camp Club in Truckee, California. It's a duo of Virginia natives in Roger Newsom of Virginia Beach, and Matt Sughrue of Arlington.
In the round of 32, Newsom came out on top against fellow-SOS member John Hornbeck (Saratoga, Wyo.) in a match that went 20 holes. Trailing by one going into the final hole of regulation, Newsom made birdie on the 472 yard par four No. 18 to tie the match. He would seal the victory with another birdie on the 20th hole, the 454 yard par four No. 2.
Newsom would continue his title quest in the round of 16 by racing out to a four hole lead on Jeff Mallette. He played his fifteen holes in the equivalent of one under par and closed out Mallette, 5 and 4. Newsom faces Joe Palmer (Norwalk, Iowa) in a Quarterfinal match today at 7:30 a.m.
Sughrue had some similar heroics late in his match against another fellow-SOS member, Greg Sanders (Anchorage, Alaska). Trailing by one with three to play, Sughrue birdied No. 16 to tie the match, then birdied No. 17 to go one up. On No. 18, both players made impressive birdies, with Sughrue coming out on top, 1 up.
In the round of 16, Sughrue exacted some SOS revenge in taking down Scotland's Ronnie Clark, 2 and 1. Clark defeated Sherrill Britt in the round of 32. Sughrue posted five birdies in the match, including three in his last five holes, which proved to be too much for Clark. He will face Bob Royak (Alpharetta, Ga.) in a Quarterfinal match today at 7:45 a.m.
Round of 32 and 16 summary:
Randy Haag (Orinda, Calif.) defeated fellow-SOS member and 2022 Runner-Up, Doug Hanzel, 4 and 3. Haag would then fall in his round of 16 match after grabbing a three hole lead after four holes to a hard-closing Joe Palmer, who battled back and won 1 up. Both players were under par for the match.
Steve Harwell (Mooresville, N.C.) fought back after being two down after three holes and defeated Craig Steinberg, 2 and 1. Harwell then lost in his round of 16 match to Ireland's Jody Fanagan, who won 1 up.
Tom Lape (Atlanta, Ga.) grabbed the lead on the second hole and never looked back in his match over Dave Ryan, posting a 3 and 2 victory. Lape would fall in the round of 16 to Bob Royak, 3 and 1.
Sherrill Britt (West End, N.C.) fell in his match to Ronnie Clark, 6 and 5.
Chip Lutz (Jupiter, Fla.) raced out to a three up lead on Bob Royak, but then lost a tightly contested match in 19 holes.
Pete Betzold (Cincinnati, Ohio) came out on the wrong end of a back-and-forth match against James Sewell, eventually falling, 3 and 1.
Congratulations to all of our members who qualified for the 68th U. S. Senior Amateur Championship and best of luck to Roger Newsom and Matt Sughrue in the Quarterfinals.
