Schmitz Among Final Eight at U.S. Mid-Amateur in Florida

  VERO BEACH, Fla. – Advancing to the Round of 32 at the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship for the second time in his career Monday, Sammy Schmitz edged Joe Alfieri, 1-up, before taking down Philip Lee, 4 and 3, during the Round of 16 Tuesday, advancing to the quarterfinals at John’s Island Club.

During the Round of 32 Tuesday, Schmitz, seeded No. 8 in match play, took an early lead against the 25th-ranked Alfieri with a birdie on the second hole before Alfieri rolled in a pair of birdies at the fourth and sixth holes to take a 1-up lead.

The two remained deadlocked over the next eight holes, halving each with pars before Schmitz dropped his birdie opportunity at the par-4 15th holes to even the match with three holes to play.

Schmitz, Farmington, Minn., took advantage of a bogey by Alfieri at the 16th to take his second lead of the match and the two would halve the next three holes, including birdies at the 17th, as Schmitz would clinch the match, 1-up.

During the Round of 16 Tuesday, Schmitz fell behind Phillip Lee, White Bluff, Tenn., after a bogey by Schmitz at the par-3 seventh.

Schmitz answered by dropping his birdie chance at the eighth to even the match, but Lee fired back to regain the lead by winning the 10th.

Over the next three holes, Schmitz would sink two birdie putts to take a 2-up lead after the 13th and clinched the match, 4 and 3, after back-to-back bogeys by Lee at the 14th and 15th holes.

Schmitz fired an even par 143 during the first two rounds of stroke play to finish tied for seventh and qualify for the match play portion of the championship.

Returning to the championship after a two-year absence, Schmitz has qualified for match play in each of his first three appearances. He was eliminated during the opening round of match play in 2011 before advancing to the Round of 32 in 2012.

Schmitz owns 10 amateur titles in Minnesota and earned Minnesota Golf Association Men’s Player of the Year honors for the fourth time in five seasons after compiling seven top-5 finishes in 2015.

With just eight players remaining, Schmitz is the highest-seeded player at the championship and will face Joshua Irving, Dallas, Texas, Wednesday as the quarterfinals are scheduled to begin at 7:30 a.m. at John's Island Club.

Quarterfinalists receive an exemption into next year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur, Sept. 10-15 at Stonewall Links, in Elverson, Pa.


For complete tournament results go to: www.usga.org/championships/2015/u-s--mid-amateur/scoring.html