Ghim is Western Amateur medalist, final 16 set for match play
Doug Ghim
CHICAGO, Ill. (July 31, 2014) — Doug Ghim reclaimed his lead at the Western Amateur Thursday afternoon after Southern Methodist All-American Bryson DeChambeau briefly took it from him during the morning's first 18 holes on a brutal 36-hole final day of stroke play.
DeChambeau took a one stroke lead after shooting 67 in Thursday morning's round three, aided by Ghim's 73. But Ghim rebounded with 65 in the afternoon to claim medalist honors.
The field will now be shortened to the tournament's "Sweet 16," who will begin match play starting tomorrow at Beverly Country Club.
Ghim, a recent graduate of Buffalo Grove High School in the northwest part of the Chicago suburbs, set the competitive course record on Wednesday, and could've tied it again on Thursday had he not double-bogeyed the par four 15th.
Other notable players qualifying for match play were two-time California State Amateur champion Beau Hossler and 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur champion Scottie Scheffler. 2013 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion Jordan Niebrugge shot a final-round 74 and missed match play by three shots.
ABOUT THE Western Amateur
Invitational event, and the most important
tournament in American amateur golf outside of the
U.S. Amateur. With a grueling schedule, it's quite
possibly the
hardest amateur tournament to win.
156 invited players come from across the
globe to play one of the toughest formats in
amateur golf. The tournament starts with 18
holes of stroke play on Tuesday and
Wednesday after which the field is cut to the
low 44 scores and ties. Thursday it's a long
day of 36 holes of stroke play to determine
the “Sweet Sixteen” who compete at Match
Play on Friday and Saturday (two matches
each day if you're going to the finals) to
decide the champion.
View Complete Tournament Information