INDIANA, Pa. — Nathan Smith and Arnie Cutrell fought hard, to say the least, during Wednesday afternoon's final match at the Pennsylvania Match Play. Smith, a four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur winner, had three prior wins at the event under his belt, as did his counterpart Cutrell.
Smith, of Pittsburgh, never led during the 24-hole duel until his four-foot birdie putt fell on the sixth extra hole. He was as much as two-down through eight holes, but held on before making birdie at 17 to force the match all square.
Smith, the five-seed, secured two 3-and-2 victories in Tuesday's opening rounds. He faced Indiana native Matt Holuda, a sophomore at Rutgers, on Wednesday morning and led the whole match, winning 2-and-1.
Holuda captured the largest upset of the tournament when he knocked off the medalist Rick Stimmel in a 1-up victory in the first round. In Tuesday afternoon's round, Holuda handed a 3-and-2 defeat to recent Western Pennsylvania Amateur winner Easton Renrick.
Cutrell found himself in the championship match with an extra-hole victory over Doug Gradwell, also of Indiana Country Club, in the semifinals. Cutrell was the 10-seed, and last won the Jay Sigel title in 2008.
Nathan Smith withstands Arnie Cutrell at Pennsylvania Match Play
In a crazy six-hole playoff, four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur winner Nathan Smith topped Arnie Cutrell