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Smith, Carter Lead Eight Quarterfinalists At U.S. Mid-Amateur

Kiawah Island, S.C. – Co-medalist Nathan Smith, the 2003 champion from Pittsburgh, Pa., and Patrick Carter, of Huntington, W.Va., highlight a group of eight players who won third-round matches Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2009 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at the 6,964-yard, par-72 Cassique at The Kiawah Island Club.

Smith, 31, a member of the victorious 2009 USA Walker Cup and USGA State Team squads earlier this year, defeated Dave Bunker, 44, of Canada, 4 and 3. An investment advisor, he also won the 2009 Pennsylvania Amateur.

Smith won holes 8 and 9 to take a 3-up lead and was the stroke-play equivalent of four under par (with concessions).

Carter, 41, a 12-time West Virginia State Amateur champion, advanced to the quarterfinals for for the fourth time in 10 Mid-Amateur appearances with a 5-and-3 victory over 1996 runner-up Randy Lewis, 51, of Alma, Mich. Carter was also a quarterfinalist in 1996, 1997 and 2003.

“It’s nice to make the quarters,” Carter said. “You know that at least you are going to play in next year’s Mid. That’s always a goal for anybody who makes match play. I’m just happy with the way I’m playing. I’ve hit a lot of good shots.”

Todd Burgan, 40, of Knoxville, Tenn., made five birdies in his last seven holes to defeat co-medalist Mike McCoy, 46, of West Des Moines, Iowa, 2 and 1.

“You can’t get too far down on Mike because he will not give you anything,” said Burgan, a pharmacist. “I think between us we birdied every hole on the back except one.”

With McCoy holding a 2-up lead through 10 holes, Burgan won holes 12 and 13 with birdies to square the match. McCoy answered with a birdie of his own on the 14th to re-take the lead.

Burgan, who represented Tennessee at the 2009 USGA State Team Championship, followed with three birdies on the next four holes to close out McCoy, who was a semifinalist in 2005 and 2008.

Defending champion Steve Wilson, 39, of St. Martin, Miss., defeated two-time Mid-Amateur semifinalist Jeff Wilson, 46, of Fairfield, Calif., 5 and 4. This came on the heels of Steve Wilson playing 10 holes Wednesday morning in beating Scott Harvey of Greensboro, N.C., in 19 holes.

Seven second-round matches that were not completed Tuesday were resumed at 7:20 a.m.

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

 

 
Championship Facts

U.S. Mid-Amateur

ARCHITECTS – The Kiawah Island Club’s Cassique was designed by Tom Watson and opened in 2000. The River Course was designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1995.

COURSE SETUP – There are two setups at Cassique – Pulpit and Nip Tuck. During stroke play, the Pulpit setup will be used with holes 4, 5 and 6 playing at 370, 148 and 525 yards, respectively. With the beginning of the second round of match play, the Nip Tuck setup will be used and holes 4, 5 and 6 will play at 360, 155 and 565 yards, respectively. The Pulpit and Nip Tuck setups may rotate during the quarterfinal, semifinal and final rounds.

The USGA Course Rating® and USGA Slope Rating® for the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship at The Kiawah Island Club’s Cassique are 75.2 and 146 for the Pulpit setup and 74.5 and 145 for the Nip Tuck setup. The USGA Course Rating® and USGA Slope Rating® for The River Course are 74.7 and 147. The grass heights in the various areas of the course for the championship should be as follows:

Cassique
Putting Greens – Prepared firm and fast to measure approximately 12 feet on the USGA Stimpmeter
Approaches collars around greens – .400 inches (30 inches in width, or one mower width, on collars)
Fairways, teeing grounds – .450 inches Intermediate Rough – 1 inch (6 feet in width)
Primary Rough – 2.5 to 3 inches Practice Tee – .450 inches

The River Course
Putting Greens – Prepared firm and fast to measure approximately 12 feet on the USGA Stimpmeter
Fairways, approaches, collars around greens – .350 inches (30 inches in width, or one mower width, on collars)
Teeing Grounds – .250 inches
Intermediate Rough – 1 inch (6 feet in width)
Primary Rough – 2.5 to 3 inches
Practice Tee – .450 inches

USGA AND SOUTH CAROLINA – The 2009 U.S. Mid-Amateur will be the 14th USGA championship conducted in the state of South Carolina. The last USGA championships in the state were the 2005 Men’s and Women’s State Team Championships, held concurrently at Berkeley Hall in Bluffton.

It is the first USGA championship for The Kiawah Island Club. The U.S. Mid-Amateur is making its second appearance in the state; the 1991 U.S. Mid-Amateur was held at Long Cove Club in Hilton Head Island.

CHAMPIONSHIP WEB SITE – Visit www.usmidam.org or www.usga.org for the latest news and scores during the championship.

ADMISSION – Admission is free. Tickets are not needed for this USGA championship, and spectators are encouraged to attend.

 

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