James Byrne top Scot in joint

eighth place as Peter Uihlein

wins Dixie Amateur play-off

Banchory's Scotland international James Byrne, a student at Arizona State University, finished a creditable joint eighth in a field of 175 for the prestigious Dixie Amateur championship, won last year by fellow Scot Gavin Dear from Murrayshall, at Heron Bay Golf Club, Coral Springs in Florida.
Exceptionally heavy and prolonged rainfall in this area of Florida wiped out the Saturday play and forced the organisers to reduce the event from four to three rounds.
Byrne, pictured above by Cal Carson Golf Agency, had scores of 72, 67 and 70 for a seven-under-par total of 209. He finished only four shots behind US Walker Cup player and world ranked 10th amateur Peter Uihlein (Oklahoma State University) and Florida-based Mu Hu who tied after 54 holes on 11-under-par 205.
Uihlein scored 68, 68 and 69, Mu Hu 72, 66 and 67.
The sudden-death play-off, over the 18th hole, lasted only one hole and was won by Uihlein.
Ross Kellett (Colville Park) came joint 28th on 212 with scores of 76, 66 and 70.
Steven McEwan (Caprington) finished joint 33rd on 213 with rounds of 72, 71 and 70.
The fourth Scot in the field, Peter Latimer from Markinch, a student at Guilford College, North Carolina, and a quarter-finalist in this year's Scottish amateur championship at Royal Troon, missed the 36-hole cut by three shots with scores of 76 and 71 for 147.
LEADING TOTALS
Par 216 (3x72)
205 Peter Uihlein (Oklahoma State) 68 68 69, Mu Hu (Florida) 72 66 67 (Uihlein won sudden-death play-off at first hole).
206 Gregor Main (UCLA) 68 68 70, Corbin Mills (Clemson) 71 65 70.
208 Aaron Sherry (US) 69 67 72, Blake Morris (US) 71 64 73, Seath Lauer (US) 73 66 69.
Selected totals:
209 James Byrne (Arizona State) 72 67 70, Bud Cauley (Alabama) 75 68 66 (jt 8th).
210 Garth McGee (Ireland) 72 71 67, David Lingmerth (Sweden) 67 70 73 (jt 12th).
212 Ross Kellett (Colville Park) 76 66 70 (jt 28th).
213 Steven McEwan (Caprington) 72 71 70 (jt 33rd).
214 Steven Brown (England) 71 70 73 (jt 41st).
217 William Harrold (England) 71 70 76 (jt 54th).
Did not qualify (144 or better)
147 Peter Latimer (Guilford College) 76 71.