RORY HAS HAD THE SAME COACH SINCE HE WAS SEVEN

MICHAEL BANNON: THE QUIET MAN 

BEHIND McILROY'S RISE TO FAME

FROM THE GOLF DIGEST WEBSOTE
By Matthew Rudy

Rory McIlroy's rise has a lot of the same elements as the Tiger Woods story from 1997 to 2000 --  precocious talent, huge power, plenty of charisma, and a giant endorsement deal from Nike. 

What McIlroy's story doesn't have is swing drama. Woods has torn down his swing three different times and is in the middle of a very public struggle with his back and his game.

 McIlroy has had the same coach, Northern Irishman Michael Bannon, since he was seven, and his 2014 swing looks like a more polished version of the one he used when he was 15. "If it ain't broke, don't fix it," said McIlroy from the podium after winning last week's PGA. "That's my motto. I've always been that way. I feel like the work I've put into my golf swing from the age of 15 to 20 is going to see me sort of throughout my career."

The 58-year-old Bannon was the head professional at Holywood Golf Club outside Belfast when McIlroy came to the club with his father, Gerry -- a strong player himself. 

Bannon described giving the talented 7-year-old a mixture of technical and playing lessons to keep him enjoying the game and developing his ability to manufacture different shots.

 Through the years, Bannon recorded hundreds of McIlroy's best swings, catalogued with descriptions of the feels that went with them. He's said his goal wasn't to build a "perfect" swing, but to give him a grounding in the fundamentals and the tools to diagnose his own swing problems. 

Now, when McIlroy hits a wild shot, like he did in his first round at the PGA, he as a better chance at making a mid-course correction and resuming his round. After snap-hooking a 5-wood out of bounds on the 10th hole to make a double-bogey, and following it with a three-putt bogey, he responded with four straight birdies to shoot 66. 

"I have a golf swing that can go off from time to time, but I know the parameters of it and I know how to get it back on track," McIlroy said. 

"Driving played a big role in 2012 when I won this tournament and few others, but I feel I'm a better driver now.

!I'm not as one-dimensional. I can hit the ball both ways. I can flight it down. I can flight it up. I'm a little more confident with it. My lines are tighter, and it doesn't have the ability to have these big misses, which is very important." 

Starting in 2013, Bannon began travelLing full-time with McIlroy, and offers much more than an additional set of diagnostic eyes. "He was a fairly accomplished player himself, and he knows how to play the game and what it's about," McIlroy said of Bannon. 

"I have good chats with him about course management and picking certain shots for certain situations, and that's how our relationship has evolved."

The low-key Bannon doesn't do much to publicize his work with the World No. 1. He's not in any commercials, and he doesn't have a stable of other tour players he teaches.

But before McIlroy sank the final putt at Valhalla, he said he took some time to compose himself and look around the green for two people he wanted to hug after the win to celebrate -- his father and his coach.

It ain't broke.  

CALUM FYFE, CHRISTOPHER CURRAN TOP OF THE TREE

CHEERS! IT'S A DOUBLE SCOTCH IN 

BRITISH BOYS' QUALIFYING


NEWS RELEASE FROM THE R and A
Scots Calum Fyfe and Christopher Curran led the 64 qualifiers after the stroke-play stage of the Boys Amateur Championship at Prestwick and Dundonald Links today.

Fyfe, from Cawder, eagled the par five 12th to follow birdies on the 3rd and the 10th on his way to a one-under-par 70 at Prestwick and a two-over-par total of 145.
The 17-year-old represented Scotland in the recent Boys Home Internationals at Western Gailes and was a member of the bronze medal-winning Scottish team at the European Boys’ Team Championship in Oslo last month.

Curran carded a level-par 71 at Prestwick to finish on the same mark. The 17-year-old from Harburn, who was runner-up after a play-off in the Stephen Gallacher Foundation Trophy at Macdonald Cardrona in May, opened with a birdie at the 1st but five bogeys in six holes from the 6th threatened to derail his round before he too eagled the par five 12th hole and, despite a bogey on the 13th, he finished strongly picking up shots on the 14th, the 17th and 18th.

Sweden’s Oskar Bergqvist and Ireland’s Rowan Lester finished one shot behind the leaders on three-over-par. The 17-year-old Swede, who won the 2012 Scottish Boys Under-16 Open Amateur Stroke Play Championship, carded six birdies and six bogeys for a level par round of 72 at Dundonald. The 18-year-old Lester from Hermitage, Ireland came in with a three-over-par 74 at Prestwick for a 146 total.

Defending champion Ewen Ferguson qualified on a ten-over-par total of 153 as did Irish Boys Amateur Open Champion Bradley Moore and his fellow England boys international Ashton Turner.  
Germany’s Max Schmitt, who won the European Young Masters at Falkenstein last month, qualified on 12-over-par and was joined by Italy’s Guido Migliozzi,  87th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking^TM, who finished one shot further back.

The cut fell on 14-over-par and among the players to miss out on a place in the match-play stages were Carris Trophy winner Haydn McCullen from Delamere Forest, Welsh Open Youths champion Harry Hall from West Cornwall and Scottish Boys Stroke Play runner-up Ben Kinsley from St Andrews.

Key Quotes:

Calum Fyfe

“I started off with a birdie on three at the start and then had a few bogeys where I three-putted. I just tried to hit the centre of the greens and hole putts because it was playing tough out there. That was the key.”

“I feel pretty good about playing Prestwick, I’m just going to keep trying to hit fairways and greens and hopefully I can keep it up.”

Christopher Curran

“I started the back nine with bogeys on ten and 11 but then chipped in for eagle on 12. I hit a few nice shots over the last few holes and was able to get a few birdies.”

“I don’t really play very much match play, but it’s a different strategy and you have to be more aggressive than in stroke play so I’m really looking forward to it.”

Oskar Bergqvist

“I played really solid and hit a lot of greens but unfortunately I made a couple of three putts,” he said. “I am really pleased with my game and my ball-striking is really good.”

“I made the cut last year by one stroke and now I have got a good chance to get someone I can beat in the next round.”

For the match play draw and all scoring from the Boys Amateur Championship please visit Championships.RandA.org.
Seven Scots in all qualified for the match-play.

LEADING QUALIFIERS
Par 143 (Prestwick 71, Dundonald Links 72)
145 Callum Fyfe (Cawder) 75 70, Christopher Curran (Harburn) 74 71.
146 Oskar Bergqvist (Sweden) 74 72, Rowan Lester (Ireland) 72 74
147 Simon Zach (Czech Republic) 78 69, Kristoffer Reitan (Norway) 73 74

SCOTS QUALIFIERS
151 Ryan Lumsden (Royal Wimbledon) 78 73 (T18)
153 Ewen Ferguson (Bearsden) 77 76 (T33)
154 George Burns (Williamwood) 78 76 (T39)
155 Conor Toal (Old Ranfurly) 77 78 (T44)
156 Will Porter (Carnoustie) 77 79 (T53)

+to view who plays whom and when on Thursday
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DID NOT QUALIFY
158 Callum Cochrane (Marriott Dalmahoy) 80 78, Murray Naysmith (Marriott Dalmahoy) 79 79 (T70)
159 Duncan McNeill (Powfoot) 84 75, Sandy Scott (Nairn) 79 80 (T82)
161 Stuart Irving (Falkirk) 84 77, Alex Chalk (Castle Douglas) 87 74 (T104)
162 Adam Fisher (Newmachar) 86 76, James Wilson (Balmore) 82 80 (T114)
165 Calvin Cheyne (Newmachar) 87 78 (T145)
166 Callum Burns (Balmore) 92 74, Aaron McManus (Darlington) 79 87, Robbie Kemsley (Balmore) 86 80  (T160).
168 Stuart Easton (Irvine) 87 81, Ben Kinsley (St Andrews) 85 83  (T176)
170 Colin Edgar (Cochrane Castle) 90 80, Robert Watson (Muckhart) 88 82, Lewis Bain
 (Musselburgh) 86 84
171 Matthew McCulloch (Portpatrick Dunskey) 90 81
175 Alasdair McDougall (St Andrews New) 83 92 (T227)
Retired: Fraser Davren (Williamwod) 79 ret.
Withdrew: Joseph Bryce (Bathgate) 84 wd.

THREE SCOTS IN TOP 10 AT SLALEY HALL

GOLF COPY AND SCORES

CREDIT CAL CARSON GOLF AGENCY

QUERIES TO COLIN FARQUHARSON

TEL 01224 869782

THREE SCOTS IN TOP TEN ON EUROPRO TOUR

Three Scots - Ross Kellett, Craig Lawrie and Elliot Saltman - are in the top 10 after the first round of the PGA EuroPro Tour event at a wet and windy Slaley Hall course, Northumberland today (Wednesday).

Sheffield's James Maw has the overnight lead after a seven-under-par 65 but Kellett's 66 has the Motherwell man in joint second place while La\wrie and Saltman are tied eighth on 69.

PGA EUROPRO TOUR

Slaley Hall, Northumberland

LEADING FIRST ROUND SCORES

Par 72

65 J Maw (Eng).

66 R Kellett (Sco),M McGeady (Ire)

OTHER SCOTS' SCORES

69 C Lawrie, E Saltman (T8)

70 M Isaacs (T16)

71 N Henderson (T26)

72 G McBain, S Crichton  (T40)

73 C Currie, F McKenna, J Hamilton (T51)

74 C O'Neil, R Cameron, P Robinson, L Saltman, P Doherty, J McColl, E Ramsay(T60)

75 G Rankin, C Macaulay (T81)

76 S Binning (T91)

77 G Wright, P Shields, K Nicol (T105)

78 P Wilson (T114)

79 Z Saltman, J Dick, G Forbes (T123)

81 I Redford (T134)

84 J Findlay (T141)

ends

INTER-DISTRICT STROKE-PLAY MATCH

North-east boys' team with the Trophy at Lossiemouth. Back row (left to right): Calvin Duffton (Torphins), Lewys Anderson (Deeside), Stephen Roger (Cruden Bay), Sam Locke. (Banchory). Front: Marc Watt (Inverallochy), Thomas Cameron (Fraserburgh), Kiran Nolan (Kemnay) and Callum Bruce. (Duff House Royal). Picture by NE District secretary George Young.

NORTH-EAST BOYS' NARROW WIN

 OVER NORTH AT LOSSIEMOUTH

North-east beat North by eight shots in a closely-contested stroke-play boys' inter-district golf  match at wet and windy Moray Golf Club, Lossiemouth today.

North-east edged into a six-stroke aggregate lead at the end of the morning foursomes.

The afternoon singles were even closer with North-east finishing only two strokes ahead.

Overall North-east beat North 897 to 905.

NORTH-EAST

Foursomes 349

Steven Roger (Cruden Bay) and Sam Locke (Banchory) 77

Thomas Cameron (Fraserburgh) and Lewys Anderson (Deeside) 83

Callum Bruce (Duff House Royal) and Marc Watt (Inverallochy) 89

Kiran Nolan (Kemnay) and Calvin Duffton (Torphins) 91

Singles 557

Bruce 74, Anderson 74, Locke 80, Nolan 81, Roger 81, Cameron 82, Watt 85.

NORTH 905

Foursomes 346

Cameron Franssen (Inverness) and Andrew Moir (Elgin) 80

Rory Franssen (Inverness) and Finlay Asher (Nairn) 82

Euan Gill (Inverness) and Thomas Bell (Forres) 90

Michael Schinkel (Orkney) and Jamie MacKintosh (Nairn) 94.

Singles 559

R Franssen 72, Gill 75, C Franssen 78, Moir 81, Asher 83, Schinkell 83, Bell 87, 

NEIL AND FORREST BADLY MISSED AT SOUTHERNDOWN

SLOW START BY SCOTS - BEATEN 10-5

BY IRELAND IN OPENING MATCH

Scotland badly missed Bradley Neil and Grant Forrest - who failed to make the match-play stages of the US amateur championships - on the first day of the men's home internationals at Southerndown Golf Club in South Wales.
The Scots lost 10-5 to Ireland and with England and Wales drawing 7 1/2-7 1/2, that means the men in blue are bottom of the table.

Ireland shaded the foursomes 3-2 against the Scots but ran way with the singles 7-3.

Only Daniel Young and Matthew Clark won in the afternoon for Scotland. Craig Ross and Graeme Robertson secured halved matches.

IRELAND 10, SCOTLAND 5

Foursomes 3-2

J Hume and G Moynihan bt C Robb and J Ross 3 and 2.

D McElroy and C Sharvin lost to D Young and J Savage 3 and 2.

C Campbell and C Selfridge bt M Clark and S Gibson 4 and 3.

R Bridges and R Dawson lost to A Dunton and C Ross 1 hole.

P_ Dunne and G Hurley bt J McDonald and G Robertson 3 and 2.

Singles 7-3

Moynihan bt Robb 2 and 1.

Sharvin bt Savage 1 hole

McElroy bt J Ross 5 and 3.

J R Galbraith lost to Young 2 and 1.

Hume lost to Clark 3 and 2.

Campbell bt Gibson 2 and 1.

Selfridge bt G Marchbank 3 and 2.

Dawson halved with C Ross

Dunne bt McDonald 2 and 1.

Hurley halved with Robertson.

ENGLAND 7 1/2, WALES 7 1/2

Foursomes 2 1/2-2 1/2

R Evans and B Stow lost to D Boote and M Hearne 2 and 1.

T Anderson and A Chester bt B Westgate and M Moseley 2 and 1.

A Chapman and D Wasteney lost to E Griffith and Z Galliford 3 and 1.

L Johnson and P Kinnear bt L Jones and R Davies 5 and 4.

H Casey and N Marsh halved with J Bush and R James.

Singles 5-5

Evans lost to Hearn 1 hole

Chesters bt Boote 3 and 2

Stow lost to Griffith 2 and 1

S Crookall-Nixon lost to Westgate 2 and 1.

Wasteney bt Moseley 1 hole.

Anderson bt James 5 and 3.

Marsh bt O Edwards 2 and 1.

Chapman bt Bush 1 hole.

Kinnear lost to Jones 2 and 1

Casey lost to Galliford 3 and 1.

ST ANDREWS MATCH-PLAY

SEVEN SCOTS THROUGH BUT CAN ONE

OF THEM END THE LEAN TEN YEARS?


Seven Scots are through to the last 16 of the Eden Tournament, St Andrews. It's 10 years since a Scot
 last won the popular men's open amateur scratch tournament over the Eden Course.

FIRST-ROUND RESULTS
P Johnson (Hawick) bt A Johnston (Bonnyton) at 19th
C Pierce (Holywell) bt R Campbell (Kinross) 1 hole.
L Becht (Belgium) bt C Harrison (Sandiway) 4 and 2.
P Sinclair (Crow Wood) bt D Lamond (Haggs Castle) 1 hole.
B David (Colchester bt G Watton (Ludlow) 5 and 4.
N Blyth (Germany) bt P Kitching (Millbrook) at 20th.
J Dougall (Caldwell) bt G Halkett (Kirkintilloch) 1 hole.
T Simmonds (Gullane) bt L James (Dudley) at 19th
J Lamb (Glencorse) bt A Wiggins (Tewkesbury Park) 2 and 1.
G Lamond (Glasgow) bt S Heap (Taunton) 3 and 2.
M Ferguson (Brocton Hall) bt M East (Moortown) 2 and 1.
M Betts (Vicars Cross) bt S East Moortown) at 19th.
D Stone (Lancaster) bt E Gibson (Crow Wood) 7 and 5.
R Storey (Forest Pines) bt D Haye (Netherlands) 1 hole.
B Ford (Glen) bt M Hogg (Rushcliffe) 5 and 3.
R Blair (Leighton Buzzard) bt S Boyle (Kirkintilloch) 2 and 1.
A Stone (Lancaster) bt R Cowe (Kelso) 4 and 2.
C Earl (Upton by Chester) bt S Greenhalgh (Manchester) 2 holes.
D Whitfield (Penrith) bt D Aitken (Lenzie) 4 and 3.
D Waugh (Baberton) bt D Gray (Penrith) 2 and 1.
D Humphries (Ludlow) bt N Smith (Ludlow) 5 and 4.
J Sharpe (Helsby) bt G Ross (Alloa) at 19th
S Roberts (Vale) bt A Carlyle (St Andrews) 2 and 1.
J Berry (Torwoodlee) bt R Simpson (Bonnyton) 4 and 2.
F Zamudio (Argentina) bt C Sinclair (Gullane) 3 and 2.
G Whitbread (Colchester) bt T Hein (Germany) 4 and 2.
A McDonald (Crow Wood) bt D Ronan (West Herts) 4 and 3.
A Raphael (St Andrews) bt C Finch (Grange Park) 5 and 4.
A Collman (West Herts) bt M Anderson (Tantallon) 4 and 3.
G Evans (Lee Park) bt S Shore (Stanton on Wolds) 3 and 2.
J Hawksby (Millbrook) bt S Richardson (Knott End) 6 and 5.
M Saunders (Gullane) bt T Moffat (Crow Wood) 7 and 6.
SECOND ROUND 
Johnson bt Pierce 5 and 4
Becht bt Sinclair 7 and 6
David bt Blyth 3 and 2.
Dougall bt Simmonds 3 and 2.
Lamb bt Lamond 4 and 3.
Betts bt Ferguson 4 and 3
Storey bt D Stone 4 and 2.
Blair bt Ford 3 and 2.
A Stone bt Earl 2 and 1.
Waugh bt Whitfield 1 hole
Humphries bt Sharpe 3 and 2
Berry bt Roberts 3 ande 2
Whitbread b Zamudio 3 ande 1
McDonald bt Raphael 1 hole
Collman bt Evans 2 and 1
Saunders bt Hawksby 3 and 1.

EDEN TANKARD (HANDICAP)
FIRST ROUND
K Donagh (Puckrup Hall) bt R Cousin(Appleby) 1 hole.
V Walden (Tewkesbury Park) bt C Ellis (Brickhampton Court) 2 holes.
M McGrath (Ireland) bt C Harrington (Vicars Cross) 2 holes.
S Green (Worcestershire) bt A McDonald (Pitreavie) 3 and 2.
C Dawes (Tewkesbury Park) bt S Carruthers (Thornhill) 3 and 2.
C Appleby (Fairhaven) bt A Rigby (Helsby) 3 and 2.
D Bible (Ashford) bt S Hogg (Shetland) 5 and 4.
R Rodgers (Ludlow) bt P MacNaught (Sundridge Park) 7 and 6.
C James (Blundells Hill) bt A Wiggins (Tewkesbury Park) 7 and 6.
G Porteous (Kilspindie) bt G Finch (Grange Park) at 20th.
J Harty (Ireland) bt A Docherty (Baberton) at 19th.
A Crawford (Hallamshire) bt N Bevan (Tewkesbury Park) 2 and 1.
R Steib (USA) bt S Dawes (Tewkesbury Park) at 19th
L Troy (Ireland) bt N McKenzie (Cawder) at 21st
R McNamara (Tewkesbury Park) bt P G Foster (Houghton) 6 and 4.
A Meyrick (Ludlow) bt R Poupart (Kirkintilloch) 3 and 2 

NORTH GAILES GIRL JOINT THIRD WITH A 69

HELEN HOLDS HER OWN AGAINST 

THE MEN IN DUMFRIES QUALIFIER

Helen Searle (North Gailes Golf Centre), who has played on the Paul Lawrie Ladies' Tartan Tour, did well to finish joint third on one-under-par 69 in today's Kerr Investments 36-hole Order of Merit pro-am qualifying competition over 18 holes at Dumfries and Galloway Golf Club.
Keir McNicoll (Gullane), with a 66, was the leader of the 26 qualifiers and five alternates.
SCOREBOARD
par 70
66 K McNicoll (Gullane)
67 C McMaster (Panmure)
69 R Dixon (Renaissance), Helen Searle (North Gailes)
70 S Craig (Craig Golf).
71 J Erskine (Dumfries and Co), M King (Kingsfield), G Law (Uphall), F Mann (Carnoustie)
72 S Herald (Mearns Castle), R Leeds (Turnberry Hotel), R Neill (Drumpellier), A Brown (Archerfield).
73 P Walker (Ballumbie Castle), C Marr (Musselburgh)
74 R Buckley (Royal Musselburgh)
75 D Wood (Hirsel), C Porciani (Turnberry Hotel), G Paxton (Ralston), D Nicol (Dundonald Links).
76 R Pickard (Loretto), D Williamson (Kirkhill)
77 C Haugh (Cawder)
ALTERNATES
77 A Welsh (Cathkin Braes)
78 A Fullen (Largs), A Burns (Bothwell Castle).
79 A Waugh (Clydebank and Dist), R Jack (Dumfries and Galloway).
OTHER SCORES
79 C Gordon (Edinburgh GC)
80 M Mackenzie (Edzell)
82 C Nisbet (Duke's)
84 L Burnett (Mearns Castle)
85 J Mackay (Turnberry Hotel)

MEN'S HOME INTERNATIONALS DAY ONE

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IRELAND              v SCOTLAND
FOURSOMES 3-2
Ireland names first

J Hume and G Moynihan bt C Robb and J Ross 3 and 2.
D McElroy and C Sharvin lost to D Young and J Savage 3 and 2.
C Campbell and C Selfridge bt M Clark and S Gibson 4 and 3.
R Bridges and R Dawson lost to A Dunton and C Ross 1 hole.
P Dunne and G Hurley bt J McDonald and G Robertson 3 and 2

SINGLES
Moynihan v Robb
Sharvin v Savage
McElroy v J Ross
J R Galbraith v Young
Hume v Clark
Campbell v Gibson
Selfridge v G Marchbank
Dawson v C Ross
Dunne v McDonald
Hurley v Robertson

ENGLAND                   v WALES
Foursomes 2 1/2-2 1/2
England names first
Ryan Evans and Ben Stow lost to David Boote and Mike Hearn 2 and 1.
Tomasz Anderson and Ashley Chesters bt Ben Westgate and Matthew Moseley 2 and 1.
Adam Chapman and Dan Wasteney lost to Evan Griffith and Zack Galliford 2 and 1.
Luke Johnson and Paul Kinnear bt Lee Jones and Ryan Davies 5 and 4.
Harry Casey and Nick Marsh halved with Jack Bush and Richard James.
SINGLES
Evans v Hearn
Chesters v Boote
Stow v Griffith
Seb Crookall-Nixon v Westgate
Wasteney v Moseley
Anderson v James
Marsh v Edwards
Chapman v Bush
Kinnear v Jones
Casey v Galliford 

UNITED STATES AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

GRANT FORREST, BRADLEY NEIL FAIL 

TO  MAKE IT TO MATCH-PLAY STAGES 

British amateur champion Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie), pictured above, and Grant Forrest (Craigielaw), the 2012 Scottish amateur champion and winner of the St Andrews Links Trophy this year, both failed to figure among the 64 qualifiers for the match-play stages of the United States amateur championship at Atlanta Athletic Club, Georgia.
Forrest, pictured right, shot 72 (37-35) and 75 (36-39) for four-over-par147 and missed out by two shots from at least a play-off on the limit qualifying mark of 145.
Neil played nowhere near the form that won him the British title at Royal Portrush. He had rounds of 76 (36-40) and 77 (42-35) for 10-over-par 153.
Three English players did qualify - Jimmy Mullen (70-69 for 139) and  Sam Horsfield (66-73 for 139) in joint eighth place and Paul Howard, T43 on 144 (71-73).
England's Jordan Smith (77-73) failed to make it on 150 while compatriot Toby Tree (78-73) and Welshman Rhys Pugh (77-74) both missed out on 151.
American college players Lee McCoy (67-68) and Taylor Moore (66-69) were joint leading qualifiers on eight-under-par 135.
LEADERBOARD
Par 143 (71-72) players from USA unless stated
135 Lee McCoy 67 68, Taylor Moore 66 69
138 Cheng-Tsung Pan (Taipei) 68 70, Jimmy Beck 65 73, Sam Burns 72 66, Jonathan Garrick 67 71. Will Zalatoris 69 69

BRITISH SCORES
139 Jimmy Mullen (England) 70 69, Sam Horsfield (England) 66 73 (T8)
144 Paul Howard (England) 71 73 (T43)

MISSED THE CUT (145 and better)
147 Grant Forrest (Craigielaw) 72 75
150 Jordan Smith (England) 77 73
151 Toby Tree (England) 78 73, Rhys Pugh (Wales) 77 74
153 Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie) 76 77.

UNITED STATES AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP

Taylor Moore (left) and Lee McCoy posted 36-hole scores of 8-under 135 to share medalist honors at Atlanta Athletic Club. They were recognized at the conclusion of Tuesday play by USGA President Tom O'Toole Jr. (USGA/John Mummert)

 

McCOY AND MOORE HEAD 

QUALIFIERS FOR MATCH-PLAY

By Pete Kowalski, USGA

JOHNS CREEK, Georgia – A pair of Southeastern Conference college players, Lee McCoy, 20, of Clarkesville, Georgia, and Taylor Moore, 21, of Edmond, Oklahoma shared medalist honours by three strokes Tuesday at the 2014 U.S. Amateur Championship with 36-hole stroke-play qualifying totals of 8-under-par 135.
Both played their second round on Atlanta Athletic Club’s Highlands Course, with McCoy, a junior at Georgia, notching a 3-under-par 68, and Moore, a junior at Arkansas, firing a 2-under-par 69.

Related Content

Round of 64 Draw

McCoy, a second-team All-American playing in his third U.S. Amateur, who resides about 65 miles from Atlanta Athletic Club, recorded six birdies, one double bogey and one bogey for his 68.
“I couldn't be any happier,” said McCoy of sharing the medal. “Well, I guess I could be. I'd like to be holding the trophy at the end of the week but that being said, it is a long week. 
"It's great to be a high seed going into the weekend, but you know, main goal is still in check. I am still trying to get that trophy.”
Moore, a Ping second-team all-region selection in 2014, carded five birdies and three bogeys in his second round.
“It is pretty cool and it shows that I played well for two days and had a lot of chances for birdies,” said Moore of earning the qualifying medal. “It ranks up there pretty high – maybe number one."
Photos: Tuesday Action
McCoy, the 2012 Georgia High School Player of the Year at Habersham Central who is playing in his first U.S. Amateur, was buoyed by local support.
“Oh, it's awesome,” he said. “I got so many ‘Go Dawgs’ out there on the golf course today it was unbelievable. I didn't hear any ‘Go Jackets’ from anybody, so that was good. 
"It's awesome to be so close to home, and I've got plenty of friends and family out here to support me this week.”
Moore, who was the SEC co-freshman of the year and advanced to match play at the Western Amateur in 2013, viewed his position matter of factly.
“I just tried to treat stroke play as a tournament within a tournament and still compete and stay aggressive today, which I did, but I wasn't as sharp (as Monday),” said Moore. 
“I just kind of used it as a practice round for match play, in a way, getting another look at the course, but still hitting shots and trying to make putts and figuring out the greens. I think I did a good job of that.”
The 2014 U.S. Amateur Championship consists of 36 holes of stroke play followed by six rounds of match play, with the championship scheduled to conclude with a 36-hole final on Sunday.
The co-medalists’ match-play opponents will be determined in a 17-man playoff for four berths, which begins Wednesday at 8 a.m. on the first hole of the companion Riverside Course. The cut for the playoff came at 2-over-par 145, and the players include four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion and three-time USA Walker Cup Team player Nathan Smith.
Behind McCoy and Moore were five players at 5-under-par 138: Kennesaw (Georgia) State senior Jimmy Beck, 21, of Columbus, Georgia, a co-leader after the first round; Sam Burns, 18, of Shreveport, Louisiana, who shot the day’s low round of 66 on the Riverside; 2014 U.S. Junior Amateur champion Will Zalatoris, 17, of Plano, Texas; 2014 British Open competitor and 2012 U.S. Amateur quarter-finalist Cheng-Tsung Pan, 22, of Chinese Taipei and Jonathan Garrick, 20, of Atherton, California
Also advancing to match play were 2013 U.S. Amateur semifinalist Corey Conners of Canada and three other USGA champions: Byron Meth (2014 U.S. Amateur Public Links), Jordan Niebrugge (2013 U.S. Amateur Public Links), and Scottie Scheffler (2013 U.S. Junior Amateur).
Mike McCoy, the 2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard.
In addition to Lee McCoy and Beck, four other players from Georgia advanced to match play: Georgia Tech All-American Ollie Schniederjans of Powder Springs, who holds the No.1 world ranking, fellow Yellow Jacket Seth Reeves of Sewanee, Chris Waters of Atlanta and Mookie DeMoss of Duluth.