Jackson, Zahringer Keep Rematch Hopes Alive At 2002 U.S. Mid-AmateurGreenwich, Conn. – Defending champion Tim Jackson, 43, of Germantown, Tenn., and 2001 runner-up George Zahringer, 49, of New York, N.Y., advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2002 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, being held at The Stanwich Club (par 72, 6,952 yards).
Jackson, who earned a 1-up victory over Zahringer at the 2001 U.S. Mid-Amateur, cruised to a 6-and-4 victory in his second-round match over Shawn McCaskey, 33, of Cincinnati, Ohio, and then won in the afternoon’s third-round action against Gary Wolstenholme, 42, of England, 3 and 2.
“I didn’t really hit it as well off the tee against Gary with a couple of flamers to the right but I got it straightened out on the back,” said Jackson, who also won the 1994 U.S. Mid-Amateur. “I’m starting to find out you definitely want to be under the hole and playing to the front edge.”
Jackson will face reigning British Mid-Amateur champion John Kemp, 34, of England, who advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-and-1 win over Paul Simson, 51, of Raleigh, N.C.
Zahringer, 49, of New York, N.Y., advanced easily through his two matches Tuesday, with a 5-and-4 second-round win over Joseph Taylor, 31 of West Islip, N.Y., and a 6-and-4 victory over Ryan Nierfeldt, 26, of Omaha, Neb., in the third round.
For Zahringer, a member at The Stanwich Club, steady play has been the key.
“I think anything that’s even close to par is very competitive,” Zahringer said. “That’s going to win most of the matches.”
Zahringer quarterfinal opponent will be Austin Eaton, 33, of Stamford, Conn., who made it into the field as an alternate. Eaton cruised in his afternoon match against 1995 Walker Cup player and 1994 U.S. Amateur finalist Trip Kuehne 30, of Dallas, Texas. Eaton never trailed en route to a 5-and-4 victory.
Jerry Courville Jr., 43, of Milford, Conn., birdied the 19th hole to beat Richard Southwick of Shelter Island, N.Y., in the morning action and then earned a 6-and-4 win over David Brown, 41, of Upper St. Clair, Pa.
Courville, the 1995 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, is attempting to make it into the U.S. Mid-Amateur semifinals for the fifth time. He is currently tied for second with three time champion Jay Sigel for most match play victories, one behind all-time leader Danny Yates.
He will face John Pate, 42, of Santa Barbara, Calif., the older brother of PGA Tour player Steve Pate, who advanced with a 19-hole victory over Greg Reynolds, 55, of Grand Blanc, Mich.
Also advancing to Wednesday’s quarterfinals were Jeff Wilson, 39, of Suisin, Calif., and Terrence Miskell, 35, of New Braunfels, Texas.
Play continues Wednesday with the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. The Championship runs through Thursday’s 36-hole final match.
The U.S. Mid-Amateur, for players 25 and older, is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
Results
Greenwich, Conn. -- Results from Tuesday’s second round of match play from the 2002 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at The Stanwich Club (6,952 yards, par 72).
Upper Bracket
David Brown, Upper St. Clair, Pa. (152) def. Peter Samborsky II, Dayton, Ohio (149), 2 and 1
Jerry Courville, Milford, Conn. (148) def. Richard Southwick, Shelter Island, N.Y. (151), 19 holes
Greg Reynolds, Grand Blanc, Mich. (150) def. Gregory Martin, Starkville, Miss. (151), 3 and 2
John Pate, Santa Barbara, Calif. (146) def. Tripp Davis, Norman, Okla. (149), 4 and 3
Gary Wolstenholme, England (149) def. Dave Yarnes, Corvallis, Ore. (145), 1 up
Tim Jackson, Germantown, Tenn. (147) def. Shawn McCaskey, Cincinnati, Ohio (150), 6 and 5
Paul Simson, Raleigh, N.C. (152) def. Mark Wagner, Statesville, N.C. (149), 3 and 1
John Kemp, England (147) def. Arnold Cutrell, Greensburg, Pa. (150), 4 and 2
Lower Bracket
Jeff Wilson, Suisun, Calif. (149) def. Tim Hogarth, Northridge, Calif. (152), 2 and 1
Brendan Hester, Sutton, Mass. (148) def. Chip Travis, Hinsdale, Ill. (147), 2 up
Terrence Miskell, New Braunfels, Texas (149) def. Trey Lewis, Hendersonville, Tenn. (152), 4 and 2
David Nocar, Severna Park, Md. (151) def. Greg Ott, Des Moines, Wash. (149), 2 and 1
George Zahringer, New York, N.Y. (142) def. Joseph Taylor, West Islip, N.Y. (149), 5 and 4
Ryan Nietfeldt, Omaha, Neb. (148) def. David Herzog, Palmdale, Calif. (147), 1 up
Austin Eaton, Stamford, Conn. (149) def. James Scorse, Rochester, N.Y. (152), 1 up
Trip Kuehne, Dallas, Texas (149) def. Chris Jenkins, Little Rock, Ark. (146), 5 and 3
Third Round
Upper Bracket
Courville def. Brown, 6 and 4
Pate def. Reynolds, 19 holes
Jackson def. Wolstenholme, 3 and 2
Kemp def. Simson, 2 and 1
Lower Bracket
Wilson def. Hester, 2 and 1
Miskell def. Nocar, 3 and 1
Zahringer def. Nietfeldt, 4 and 3
Eaton def. Kuehne, 5 and 4
