Castillo advances to quarterfinals at Western Amateur

Ricky Castillo, of Yorba Linda, California, overcame an early deficit Friday morning to beat Joe Highsmith, of Lakewood, Washington, 1 up in the Sweet 16 of the 119th Western Amateur at Glen View Club.

Castillo trailed 2 down after two holes and 1 down through 13. He saved par to win 16 and made birdie on 17 to take his first lead, winning with a par on 18. With a win on Friday afternoon the Florida junior will be back in the semifinals for the third year in a row.

“It was a tough match, but I was able to gain some momentum on the back nine,” Castillo said.

Castillo will meet medalist and Stanford sophomore Michael Thorbjornsen, of Wellesley, Massachusetts, in the quarterfinals this afternoon. This will be the first time the two standouts have played against each other in match play.

“We know each other from junior golf, and I know how good he is,” Castillo said. “It will be fun.”

Defending champion and Texas senior Pierceson Coody, of Plano, Texas, led from the start in his 2-and-1 win over Karl Vilips, of Perth, Australia. He birdied Nos. 8-9 to go 3 up, but Vilips, who played at Stanford as a freshman, won No. 13 and No. 15. Coody closed him out with a birdie on the 17th.

Luke Potter, of Encinitas, California, earned a 1-up victory over James Piot, of Canton, Michigan. The youngest player in the Sweet 16, Potter will graduate high school in 2022 and is verbally committed to Arizona State.

North Carolina freshman David Ford, of Peachtree Corners, Georgia; Vanderbilt freshman Gordon Sargent, of Birmingham, Alabama; North Carolina junior Austin Greaser, of Vandalia, Ohio; and Oklahoma State junior Brian Stark, of Kingsburg, California, all moved on to the quarters.

Sweet 16 Results
Friday, July 30, 2021

Upper Bracket
Michael Thorbjornsen, Wellesley, Massachusetts, def. Maxwell Moldovan, Uniontown, Ohio, 2 and 1
Ricky Castillo, Yorba Linda, California, def. Joe Highsmith, Lakewood, Washington, 1 up
Austin Greaser, Vandalia, Ohio, def. Trent Phillips, Inman, South Carolina, 20 holes
Brian Stark, Kingsburg, California, def. Johnny Travale, Ontario, Canada, 2 and 1

Lower Bracket David Ford, Peachtree Corners, Georgia, def. Johnny Keefer, San Antonio, Texas, 1 up
Gordon Sargent, Birmingham, Alabama, def. Leo Oyo, San Diego, California, 1 up
Pierceson Coody, Plano, Texas, def. Karl Vilips, Perth, Australia, 2 and 1
Luke Potter, Encinitas, California, def. James Piot, Canton, Michigan, 1 up

by Matt Harness, Western Golf Association