Final Four set at the North & South Amateur

The North & South cut its field from 16 to four on Friday, following two rounds of match play.

Less eventful than the opening round of match play, the tournament is still providing some great storylines.

15-seed Tyler Strafaci never got to meet his grandfather. But, with two match wins today, Strafaci got a bit closer to him. Frank Strafaci won the North & South Amateur back in 1938 and 1939, but passed in 1988, well before Tyler was even a thought.

“My grandfather played throughout the ’30s and my dad played all of the way up into the 2000s,” Strafaci told Pinehurst. “It’s been about 90 years for us playing this tournament.”

The Georgia Tech grad will face rising Liberty junior Jonathan Yaun (11-seed) in the semi-finals on Saturday.

Yaun went 9 & 8 against 6-seed Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen to open Friday’s play. Through no fault of his own, Neergaard-Petersen fell victim to a career day for Yaun.

28 on the front for Yaun (click to enlarge)

“I’ve never shot 7 under on the front nine, let alone on the front nine of Pinehurst No. 2,” Yaun said. “It’s by the grace of God.”

On the other side of the bracket, William Holcomb V and Trey Winstead face off against each other.

Holcomb cruised to a 5 & 4 victory in his morning match against rising Georgia senior Davis Thompson. Beating Santa Clara’s Matt McCarty 2 & 1, Holcomb finds himself in a similar position at a very familiar golf course.

Holcomb had a run at the U.S. Amateur last year which was held at Pinehurst No. 2. With his run ending in the semifinals last year, Holcomb has a chance to redeem himself beginning tomorrow.

Rising LSU senior Trey Winstead (13-seed) knocked defending North & South champion Cooper Dossey (Texas) out of contention with a Friday afternoon 2 & 1 win. To get there, Winstead faced Vanderbilt signee, Gordon Sargent. Winning 3 & 2 over Sargent, Winstead is excited for the final day.

“It would mean the world to win here, where there’s so much history,” Winstead said. “Just the names that have been around here and all the different tournaments, it’s so special.”