What Happened

Notable

• In addition to Knapp, nine other USGA champions advanced to the Round of 32. That list includes Michael McCoy (2013 Mid-Amateur), Doug Hanzel (2013 Senior Amateur), Paul Simson (2010 and 2012 Senior Amateur), Jack Larkin (1979 Junior Amateur), George “Buddy” Marucci (2008 Senior Amateur), Stewart “Buddy” Alexander (1986 Amateur), Dave Ryan (2016 Senior Amateur), Tim Jackson (1994 and 2001 Mid-Amateur) and Chip Lutz (2015 Senior Amateur).
  
  
• Simson is now a perfect 12-0 in Round-of-64 matches in his 12 U.S. Senior Amateur appearances. His overall match-play mark in the championship is now an impressive 32-9.
  
  
• In a rematch of a 2013 semifinal match, Buzz Fly, of Memphis, Tenn., eliminated the lone Oregon resident to qualify for match play, Pat O’Donnell, of Happy Valley, 3 and 1. O’Donnell beat Fly five years ago at Wade Hampton Golf Club before losing in the championship match to Doug Hanzel.
  
  
• John Grace, 70, of Fort Worth, Texas, the oldest player to advance to match play, moved into the Round of 32 with a 2-and-1 victory over Bob Royak. The youngest player to make match play, 55-year-old Louis Brown, of Marietta, Ga., lost to Scott Sullivan, of Grand Junction, Colo., 1 down.
  
  
• Six of the 32 matches went to extra holes, while five others went the regulation 18.

Quotable

Co-medalist Gregory Condon, of Monte Vista, Colo., on his 4-and-3 victory over No. 64 seed Kirk Wright in the Round of 64:

“Today, I was a little off. I didn’t play very well. I would mess up and he would mess up. That’s just kind of how it went. I hit a couple good shots when I needed to. Sometimes, match play goes that way.”

Defending champion Sean Knapp, of Oakmont, Pa., on whether he’ll continue to walk and carry his own bag during a potential 36-hole day on Tuesday:

“Here’s the thing about walking: if everyone else isn’t walking, you can actually be at a disadvantage. If you get behind, you can have groups behind you that are waiting. And there’s just a certain pace where all of a sudden, the game starts to change. You’re rushing to play rather than playing at your normal pace. I feel it’s an advantage [to ride] in the heat. Last year, it wasn’t such an advantage because the temperatures were down. If it were 70 tomorrow, maybe [I’ll walk].”

Two-time champion Paul Simson, of Raleigh, N.C., on why he’s so successful in match play at the Senior Amateur:

“Maybe because I am a pretty good ball-striker and if you are just playing the golf course, sometimes people get to looking at what you’re doing rather than what they are doing. That’s the first way to start causing problems for yourself if you start watching the other guy. And good course management because I have my son [Phillip] on the bag and he is advising me.”

Simson on his 5-and-3 victory over Mitch Wilson, of Kalamazoo, Mich.:

“I just played a really solid match today and Mitch had a couple of wayward tee shots that caused a few bogeys that allowed me to get a couple up. I continued to make good shots and it’s tough when you are making pars and birdies to get back into it on a course like this.”

John Grace, of Fort Worth, Texas, on winning a match at the age of 70:

“I’m having fun. I don’t feel 70. I really hit it well. I kept it in play all day and made very few mistakes.”

Buddy Marucci, of Villanova, Pa., on playing in the cool and dry climate of Oregon versus the heat and humidity of the East Coast:

“Well, I actually like it hot. I did put the shorts on today. I was in long pants the [first two days] because I like to be warm. But the last few days have been absolutely brilliant. How do you beat this? Why wouldn’t you want to live in Eugene with weather like this?”

David Shefter is a senior staff writer for the USGA. Email him at dshefter@usga.org.

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