Defending champ loses at Kansas Amateur
The Associated Press
Friday, July 20, 2007
TOPEKA — Kansas junior champion Kyle Smell ended the reign of defending champ Drew Lethem on Thursday in the first round of match play at the 97th annual Kansas Amateur.
The 18-year-old Smell, who won the Kansas Golf Association’s Junior Amateur last month in Emporia, outlasted Lethem in a match that went 20 holes at Topeka Country Club.
Smell was one of 32 players to advance to the second round of match play, which began this morning at the TCC course.
Smell, an Overland Park native who will be a freshman at Kansas State in the fall, was 3-up on Lethem with three holes to play, but the 2006 champion won three consecutive holes with birdies to send the match into extra holes. Smell then won the match with a birdie on the second extra hole.
Four Emporia golfers competed in the Kansas Amateur, however, none qualified for the match play rounds.
Bren Fisher was the highest finisher, coming in with a 12-over 154 after two rounds of stroke play to finish in a tie for 142nd.
Marcus Erkel was one stroke behind Fisher with a 13-over 155 to place in a tie for 157th, Matt McAnarney shot a 22-over 164 to tie for 252nd place and Fletcher Harder carded a two-round 24-over 166 to come in a tie for 268th.
Wes Stonestreet of Dallas, Texas, and Gary Woodland of Berryton, who were co-medalists after the 36-hole stroke play competition Tuesday and Wednesday, each won first-round matches Thursday, but took different routes.
Stonestreet, a native of Kismet and former member of the Wichita State golf team, rolled to a 6 and 5 victory over Doug Albers of Prairie Village.
Woodland, one of the top players in the Big 12 Conference for the University of Kansas, fired a 5-under 66, but managed only a 1-up victory over Tyler Lytton of Augusta.
The biggest upset of the first round came when No. 3-seeded Joshua Weems of Lake Quivira was defeated by 62nd-seeded Patrick Roth of Prairie Village. Fifth-seeded Zach Cleland of Wichita was knocked off by No. 60 Dean Merrill of Kansas City, Mo., 1-up.
Two-time champion (1980, 2002) Bryan Norton of Mission Hills had the most lopsided victory of the day with a 7 and 6 decision over Tim Walla of Lenexa.
The 97th annual tournament continues with the second and third rounds of match play today. The quarterfinals and semifinals are scheduled for Saturday, with the 36-hole finals set for Sunday.