New Zealanders Xie and Moore into matchplay at US Junior
Cooper Moore – struggles in round two but through to match play – image USGA
Two New Zealanders have made it into the matchplay phase of the US Junior Championship being played at the Saucon Valley Country Club in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.
Auckland’s Ryan Xie, who has signed to become part of Santa Clara in California’s collegiate golf programme next season, finished in a share of 19th place following rounds of 72 and 70 and will rank in 20th place as the event heads into the knockout phase tomorrow.
Christchurch golfer, Cooper Moore, already a prolific winner of amateur titles in New Zealand and Australia, including the New Zealand Amateur and Australian Junior Championships and the Asia Pacific Junior Championship, and a professional event on New Zealand’s Charles Tour, finished in a share of 51st place but will rank in 53rd place for the match play encounters tomorrow.
Moore struggled on the more demanding Grace Course, one of two used in the 36-hole qualifying, and after an opening round of 68 over the Old Course, he could only manage 77 in round two and finished just inside the cut-off, where 14 players will tomorrow play for the final two places in the Round of 64.
One of those required to play off for a place in the knockout phase is Charlie Woods, the son of Tiger, who bounced back from an opening 76 with a round of 70, but he will need something special and a bit of luck if he is to make it through.
In the opening round of matchplay tomorrow, Xie will play China’s Jin Han, who qualified 45th, while Moore takes on Arizona’s Landon Ashcraft, who qualified in 12th place.
The only Australian in the field, Hamish Farquharson, missed out on advancing.
