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Co-Medalists McCoy, Smith Among 32 First-Round Winners

Kiawah Island, S.C. – Co-medalists Mike McCoy, of West Des Moines, Iowa, and Nathan Smith, of Pittsburgh, Pa., were among the 32 winners Tuesday in the first round of match play at the 2009 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at the 6,964-yard, par-72 Cassique at The Kiawah Island Club.

Six past champions advanced to match play including Smith, 31, who won the title in 2003 and 11 days ago helped Pennsylvania claim the USGA State Team title. The 2009 USA Walker Cup team member won the first three holes en route to eliminating Alan Stearns, of Tustin, Calif., 6 and 5.

“These matches, no matter how much you get up, there are so many scoring holes,” Smith said. “You are never going to be safe. There are a lot of opportunities out here.”

A holed bunker shot for a winning birdie on the seventh hole was critical.

“That was it,” Smith said. “I was short sided and I if lose that hole I am back to 1 up and it went back to 3. That changed the match. It could have been a different story.”

McCoy, 46, won the first two holes and never trailed in defeating Robert Crockett, 31, of Louisville, Ky., 4 and 3, in the second match of the morning.

“I was up with the birds,” said McCoy, a semifinalist in 2005 and 2008. “We weren’t stellar but I hit a lot of nice shots. I’m comfortable, not panicky for this afternoon.”

McCoy, playing in his 10th Mid-Amateur, seemed nonplussed about the hassles created by Monday’s rain-out.

“I kind of liked the day off (Monday),” he said. “I’m a little older, I was a little sore so it gave me a chance to relax and get in the hot tub.”

Bert Atkinson, 51, of Charleston, kept the home state hopes alive with a 6-and-5 win over Joseph Saladino of New York, N.Y. Atkinson, the runner-up in 1991 who is playing in his 13th Mid-Amateur , was the stroke-play equivalent of 5 under par (with match play concessions) in 13 holes. He took control of the match by winning holes 4, 5, 6 and 9.

“I did play pretty well today,” Atkinson said. “It’s funny because I have had days where I’ve putted well in the stroke play and hit the ball well and couldn’t get it in the hole. Today, they just of kind of worked together.”

Also advancing to the second round were defending champion Steve Wilson, 39, of St. Martin, Miss.; two-time champion Tim Jackson, 50, of Germantown, Tenn., 2006 champion Dave Womack, 30, of McDonough, Ga; and 1999 champion Danny Green, 52, of Jackson, Tenn.

Kevin Marsh, 36, the 2005 champion did not advance nor did Buddy Marucci, the 2007 and 2009 USA Walker Cup captain and 2008 USGA Senior Amateur champion. Marsh lost to Tim Spitz, 33, of Rochester, N.Y., 1 down; while Marucci fell to 44-year-old Canadian Dave Bunker, 7 and 6.

Story written by Pete Kowalski, manager of championship media relations for the USGA. E-mail him with questions or comments at pkowalski@usga.org.