Midway, UT (Sports Network) - Stroke-play medalist James Erkenbeck was ousted
in the first round of match play Wednesday at the U.S. Amateur Public Links
Championship.
Talor Gooch, who came within a shot of the championship's low-round record on
Tuesday, was also shown the door.
Erkenbeck, after firing a 4-under 67 in the second round of stroke play to
beat Gooch and T.J. Vogel by a shot, lost to Alex Edfort in 21 holes after
leading 2-up through 14.
Edfort birdied the 15th hole to get within 1-down and closed with a birdie at
the 18th to send the match to extra holes. He won with an eagle at the par-5
third hole.
Edfort, the captain of the golf team at University of the Pacific, was one of
10 players who made the stroke play cut on the number Tuesday.
So was Sam Saunders, who took advantage of the opportunity with a 2 & 1 win
over Gooch.
Another one of the on-the-number guys, Jacob Knapp, was a 3 & 2 victor over
Dan Horner in one of the 32 matches contested Wednesday.
Match play continues Thursday and runs through the 36-hole final on Saturday.
The Sports Network