Defending Champ Schmitz Falls During Round of 16 at U.S. Mid-Amateur

  ELVERSON, Pa. – Minnesotan Sammy Schmitz’s run at the 2016 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship came to an end Tuesday as the defending champion was ousted by Scott Strickland, 1-up, during the Round of 16 at Stonewall.

Earlier in the day, Schmitz won three straight holes early on the back nine during his match against Chad Niezing and would hang on to advance to the Round of 16, winning 3 and 1.

Schmitz, Farmington, Minn., won the opening hole with a birdie during his match against Strickland Tuesday, but Strickland answered with a birdie of his own on the next hole.

Capitalizing on a bogey by Strickland at the third, Schmitz regained a slim lead before momentum swung back to Strickland when he won the fifth and seventh holes to take his first lead of the match.

Beginning at the ninth, Schmitz would win three consecutive holes to take a 2-up lead with seven holes to play, but Strickland came charging by winning the 13th with a par before sinking his birdie look at the 14th to draw even with the defending champion.

A bogey at the 16th would give Strickland a 1-up lead and the two would par the final two holes as Schmitz fell to Strickland, 1-up.

Coakley took the first lead during his Round of 32 match against Scott Harvey Tuesday, before Harvey responded by winning the seventh with a birdie. Coakley won the eighth and ninth holes with a pair of birdies.

Harvey rolled in his birdie chance at the par-5 11th and would even the match at the 15th following bogeys by Coakley at the 13th and 15th holes.

Taking the lead late at the 17th with a par, Harvey closed out the match on the final hole with a par to win, 1-up.



2016 U.S. MID-AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIP
STONEWALL
ELVERSON, PA.
6,870 YARDS, PAR 70


TUESDAY’S ROUND OF 16 RESULTS
Scott Strickland, Birmingham, Mich., def. SAMMY SCHMITZ, FARMINGTON, MINN., 1-up


TUESDAY’S ROUND OF 32 RESULTS
SAMMY SCHMITZ, FARMINGTON, MINN., def. Chad Niezing, Manchester, Mo., 3 and 1
Scott Harvey, Greensboro, N.C., def. KENNY COAKLEY, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., 1-up


MONDAY’S ROUND OF 64 RESULTS
SAMMY SCHMITZ, FARMINGTON, MINN., def. Roger Hoit, Summit, N.J., 3 and 2
KENNY COAKLEY, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., def. Matt Cohn, San Francisco, Calif., 5 and 4


SUNDAY’S STROKE PLAY RESULTS
T23. SAMMY SCHMITZ, FARMINGTON, MINN., 75-70—145
T35. KENNY COAKLEY, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., 75-71—146


For complete tournament results go to: www.usga.org/championships/2016/u-s--mid-amateur-/scoring.html