USGA Amateur: Colt Kost and Michael Thompson in Semifinals

It is a safe bet that Colt Knost, this Summer’s new, dominant amateur, and Michael Thompson are the favorites in Saturday’s USGA Amateur semifinal matches. In what might better have been a later confrontation, Thompson seized control and never relinquished his choke hold, defeating underdog Derek Fathauer, 5 and 4. Knost dispatched the other, sizzling no-name, Canadian Nick Taylor, by the same score. Venezuela’s Jhonattan Vegas will rendezvous with Knost in match 2, while Thompson squares off against the final American no-name, medal round playoff-survivor Casey Clendenon.

RonMon’s Walker Cup Watch
1. Michael Thompson…if he’s not a lock for the team now, I’m Dutch.
2. Kyle Stanley…Unless Clendenon wins the whole thing, look for
Stanley to be the final selection.
3. Casey Clendenon…He has to win the whole shebang to make the team.

The USGA can still have its marquee final, should Thompson and Knost win from the favorite positions on Saturday. However, having consulted the stars, I have determined that 2007 is not the year of the Pig, as your corner Chinese restaurant might have you believe. Instead, it is the year of the Hispanic. Angel Cabrera at the US Open, Lorena Ochoa at the Women’s British, and Maria Jose Uribe at the US Women’s Amateur have all come through in the clutch. Only he-who-must-not-be-named failed at the British Open. With that in mind, Vegas has all the viento he needs in his velas.

He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named

The only guy who doesn’t have any ju-ju on his side is Clendenon, since no one from Lamar has ever won anything. Therefore, pick Clendenon…or Vegas…or Thompson…or Knost…or Abe Mitchell.