Puyat gains US Am match play after 69

MANILA, Philippines - Marcel Puyat fought back from a woeful opening round with a solid one-under par 69 in the second day of the stroke play qualifier as he breezed into the match play phase of the US Amateur Golf Championship at the Cedar Ridge Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma Tuesday.

Puyat, in danger of missing the cut with a six-over par 76 Monday, leaned on a superb stint at the frontside where he hit three birdies, including back-to-back from No. 2, then hung tough with a slew of pars at the back to complete a 33-36 card at the par-70 layout.

With a 145 aggregate, the 16-year-old mainstay of the ICTSI golf team finished tied for 20th place with 11 others before settling for No. 26 after the countback.

He faces Fielding Brewbaker of Virginia in the lower half of the draw in the first round of the match play Wednesday. Brewbaker had a 73 for a 146 and took the 36th ranking.

It was a big comeback by Puyat, who came into the event oozing with confidence after topping the Sectional Qualifier in Florida with rounds of 70 and 69.

But he stumbled with poor form at the backside in the opening round of the US Amateurs where he made two bogeys and closed out with a triple-bogey seven on the par-4 18th for a 40 and a 76.

Puyat, however, flashed resiliency with those birdie-binge in the first nine holes in the second round then came through with clutch pars at the back to ensure his stint into the knockout phase of the US most prestigious amateur championship.

Tim Jackson of Tennessee fired a 68 in the first day then slowed down with a 73 in the second round to gain the low medal honors with a 140.