USGA Amateur mid-First Round Update: Bye Bye Webb

In my previous entry, I detailed how two 2007 USA Walker Cup selections (Kuehne and Moore) failed to advance to match play. The first of the remaining six has been eliminated, 4 & 3, at the hands of the monstrously-talented Michael Thompson. Michael whom? Well, only the ninth-ranked, nobody’s-mentioning-me amateur in the land. I EVEN MISSED HIM! Brian Harman failed to make it out of medal play, and Rickie Fowler was eliminated during the medal-playoff phase, so their candidacy is done. Like Thompson, Kyle Stanley also came through big in his first-round match, winning 5 and 3 against Jon Bettencourt. My new dark horse, errr, old nag, for winning the Am and making the team is Gene Elliott. He’s, like, 90, and ranked in the top 40. He won, 7 and 6, against Andy Mickelson. Boy, wouldn’t that scare the USGA!

Drew Weaver, British Amateur champion, has lost holes 2-6 against Travis Howe, and looks to be done like roast beef. The really old guy match pits George Zahringer, who is 54-ish, against Gary Wolstenholme, who is 46-ish. That’s like, 100-ish. My selection for best first-round match? Jon Curran versus Alex Prugh.

RonMon’s Top Five Walker Cup Favorites
1.Kyle Stanley
2. Michael Thompson
2. Alex Prugh
4. Cameron Tringale (ranked top 15, through to match play.)
5. Gene Elliott