OT: Mid-Am Madness

[David_Tepper]

Aliea Clark, the #64 seed, has reached the finals of the Women's Mid-Am:

https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2021/u-s--women-s-mid-amateur/articles/clark-brock-us-womens-mid-am-final-berkeley-hall-south-carolina.html#returnable

Hayes Brown, the #64 seed, has reached the semis of the Men's Mid-Am:
https://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2021/u-s--mid-amateur/articles/64-seed-brown-mid-am-mainstay-hagestad-semis-massachusetts.html#returnable

The vagaries of matchplay.

   

[Rob Marshall]

Brown birdied 4 of the last 5 holes in his first match to beat Yarik Merkulov the medalist. Yarik grew up at my club. Hell of a player. He had one of the best rounds in qualifing in the US Am at Oakmont. He just got on the wrong side of the draw. Only 5 guys from his side made match play and he missed by a shot.


Anyone who makes match play has to be a great player.

[Brian Finn]

Unfortunately, Hayes Brown (Carolina GC member) lost to Stew Hagestad in the semis this morning.  Hell of a run for Hayes.

Interesting note to add...Brett Boner (also a Carolina GC member) beat Stew in the semis during the 2018 mid am at Charlotte CC.  Brett eventually lost in the final that year, to Kevin O'Connell from the Raleigh area.

[Jimmy Muratt]

It's a shame that none of the match play rounds are televised, at least I haven't been able to find anything.   Match play at Sankaty Head in windy conditions is certainly something that would be fun to watch.   

[John Blain]

Brown birdied 4 of the last 5 holes in his first match to beat Yarik Merkulov the medalist. Yarik grew up at my club. Hell of a player. He had one of the best rounds in qualifing in the US Am at Oakmont. He just got on the wrong side of the draw. Only 5 guys from his side made match play and he missed by a shot.


Anyone who makes match play has to be a great player.

Rob-
I believe Yarik set the on-site qualifying record with 9 under par of 131  (66-65).


"Anyone who makes match play has to be a great player." I made the MP in 1996.  There is an exception to every rule

[Steve Kline]

Brown birdied 4 of the last 5 holes in his first match to beat Yarik Merkulov the medalist. Yarik grew up at my club. Hell of a player. He had one of the best rounds in qualifing in the US Am at Oakmont. He just got on the wrong side of the draw. Only 5 guys from his side made match play and he missed by a shot.


Anyone who makes match play has to be a great player.

Also, in the vagaries of match play, Brown shot +1 in his second match and won 5 and 4!

[Rob Marshall]

Brown birdied 4 of the last 5 holes in his first match to beat Yarik Merkulov the medalist. Yarik grew up at my club. Hell of a player. He had one of the best rounds in qualifing in the US Am at Oakmont. He just got on the wrong side of the draw. Only 5 guys from his side made match play and he missed by a shot.


Anyone who makes match play has to be a great player.

Also, in the vagaries of match play, Brown shot +1 in his second match and won 5 and 4!

Interesting thing about match play is sometimes you don't even try to make a birdie putt. In a recent match, I had 8 ft for birdie. My opponent left his first putt 10 ft short and then missed. He didn't concede my putt so I just lagged an 8 footer for the win.

[Tommy Williamsen]

t must be the year of the longshots. Leylah Fernandez won the Us Open Tennis. She had to win three qualifying round matches just to play her way into the championship.

[David_Tepper]

Tommy -

Emma Raducanu won the US Open Women's tennis, after making it thru 3 qualifying rounds. Even more remarkable is she did not lose a set thru the tournament.

Ms. Fernandez beat at least 3 seeded players to reach the finals, which is also pretty impressive.

DT

[Tommy Williamsen]

Tommy -

Emma Raducanu won the US Open Women's tennis, after making it thru 3 qualifying rounds. Even more remarkable is she did not lose a set thru the tournament.

Ms. Fernandez beat at least 3 seeded players to reach the finals, which is also pretty impressive.

DT

Oh right. My mistake and I even watched the match.

[David_Tepper]

Tommy -

At the risk of hijacking my own thread, here is a TV interview with Emma R. at 11 years:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZH2f3kNfiY

She was mature and well-spoken even then.

DT