Only four remain at U.S. Amateur after exciting Friday

August 21, 2015 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

Bryson DeChambeau (TL), Derek Bard (TR),<Br>Sean Crocker (BL), and Kenta Konishi (BR)

Bryson DeChambeau of California, Sean Crocker of Zimbabwe, Derek Bard of New York, and Kenta Konishi of Japan have moved on

OLYMPIA FIELDS, Ill. — Three of four quarterfinal matches went to the 18th hole on Friday at Olympia Fields Country Club's North Course, resulting in exciting golf for those that were either on site, or watching live on television. Six countries were whittled down to just three, being cut in half just like the number of remaining players. The United States, Zimbabwe, and Japan are in contention to have a U.S. Amateur Championship represent them.

For the previous two years, two non-American amateurs faced off in the championship match, with the 2013 matchup of Matthew Fitzpatrick (England) and Oliver Goss (Australia) being the first occurrence in tournament history. Strangely enough, the Yang/Conners duel a year later made it back-to-back years.

We could have three in a row if Sean Crocker and Kenta Konishi prevail on Saturday in Illinois.

Let's meet the four semifinalists of the 115th U.S. Amateur, and see how they reached this point.

Bryson DeChambeau — Clovis, Calif.
Representing the United States and the state of California is the No. 4 ranked amateur in the world, and reigning NCAA Individual champion. He faced Irish sensation Paul Dunne on Friday, proving his hot putter to be too much for the upstart 22- year-old who was one of three 54-hole leaders at the 2015 British Open. DeChambeau closed out Dunne 3-and-2 with a par on 16. On Thursday, he was part of the round-of-16's marquee matchup between a pair of California superstars. After both players won 5- and-4 during the round of 32, DeChambaeu and Stanford junior Maverick McNealy battled it out for a spot in the quarterfinals. Though the two were all- square through 10 holes, DeChambeau won three of the next four holes thanks to two birdies, winning with a halved bogey at the 16th.

Sean Crocker — Zimbabwe
DeChambeau will face another Pac-12 opponent on Saturday in USC sophomore Sean Crocker — the 2014-2015 Pac- 12 Freshman of the Year. Crocker, who went to high-school in Westlake Village, Calif., was 2-down to Canada's Austin James through the first nine in Friday's quarterfinals but shot 2-under with no bogeys on the back side to finish off James 2-up with a wild left-to-right swinging putt on the 18th green. Fist pump included. In the round-of-16, Crocker battled until the 20th hole with this year's Western Amateur medalist Robby Shelton. Crocker and the Alabama sophomore were back and fourth all match, with Shelton making a clutch birdie at 18 to force extra holes. Crocker drained a 15-foot putt on the 3rd extra hole while Shelton missed a putt inside three feet. He successfully handled 2015 Monroe Invitational winner Adam Ball in the morning to advance to the round of 16.

Derek Bard — New Hartford, N.Y.
The University of Virginia junior was this year's Sunnehanna Amateur winner, and had his toughest test of the tournament on Friday afternoon in World No. 1-ranked Jon Rahm. But first, he had to knock off two SEC collegians on Thursday, defeating Sepp Straka of Georgia 6-and-5 for part one, followed by coming from 2-down at the turn to beat Hunter Stewart of Vanderbilt 2-and-1 in part two. In his bout with Rahm, Bard capitalized on a number of missed putts by the Spaniard during the last chunk of holes, coming from behind for the second straight time. Bard was 3-down to the Arizona State senior through 10 holes, but managed to crawl his way back and make a 12-foot winning par putt on 18 to advance once again.

Kenta Konishi — Japan
Konishi was part of Friday's most narrow match. He and Texas native Matthew Perrine were back-and-forth most of the back nine, heading to the 18th tee at all-square in a match in which half the holes were won by either of the players, including six of nine on the inward nine. A closing par on the final hole sent Konishi to the semifinals to face Bard. On Thursday, Konishi needed to wrestle with two top Big-10 collegians to make it to this year's final eight. In the morning, Konishi ousted Belgium native and University of Illinois golfer Thomas Detry on the 19th hole after Detry won the 18th to force a playoff. Then Konishi took down the 64th seed Kyle Mueller 2- up, though Konishi never trailed throughout the match.

Results: US Amateur

Place	Player	Location	Pts
Win	Bryson DeChambeau	Clovis, CA	2000
Runner-up	Derek Bard	New Hartford, NY	1500
Semifinals	Kenta Konishi	, Japan	1000
Semifinals	Sean Crocker	Long Beach, CA	1000
Quarterfinals	Jon Rahm	, Spain	700

View full results for US Amateur

About the US Amateur

Only four remain at U.S. Amateur after exciting Friday

The U.S. Amateur, the oldest USGA championship, was first played in 1895 at Newport Golf Club in Rhode Island. The event, which has no age restriction, is open to those with a Handicap Index of .4 (point four) or lower. It is one of 15 national champ...