Matteson Remains In Contention At U.S. Amateur

OAKMONT, Pa. — University of Colorado sophomore Adam Matteson was able to play only five holes in the second round of the stroke play qualifying portion Tuesday in the 121st U.S. Amateur, but remained in contention to finish among the top 64 for match play competition which is scheduled to start Wednesday.
 
Play was suspended for almost four hours due to dangerous weather in the area, thus only the 156 players in the morning rounds completed play as competition for the day was suspended at 8 p.m. eastern due to darkness.  Play will resume at 5:30 a.m. MDT Wednesday.
 
Matteson opened with a 2-over par 72 Monday at the Longue Vue Club, which had him tied for 83rd after day one; he then was playing the legendary Oakmont Country Club course on Tuesday, but his tee time was delayed 3 hours and 50 minutes do to the weather delay.  He started with a par on No. 10, birdied 11, parred 12 and 13 and bogeyed 14 before the sirens sounded to end play for the day.  He remains at 2-over, tied for 53rd, with the projected cut line at this stage at 4-over.
 
The 312-man field is split between Oakmont, outside of Pittsburgh, and Longue Vue Club in Verona, where Matteson competed Monday.  Oakmont is the tougher of the two courses; while both are par-70, its length is 7,206 yards compared to 6,705 at Longue Vue.
 
Mark Goetz, a senior at West Virginia University who hails from nearby Greensburg, Pa., currently leads the field, sitting at 9-under par with six holes left to play.  There are just 27 players under par at present (just six in the clubhouse with final 36 hole totals), and another 12 at even-par (three were able to finish).   There are 122 players at the end of Tuesday who are 10-over par or higher, 77 of whom finished two rounds.
 
Stroke play will narrow the field from 312 to 64 competitors, with all matches to be played at Oakmont.  Provided the 32 matches can be completed Wednesday, two rounds will be played on Thursday to reduce the field to eight players, with the quarterfinals, semifinals and finals, the latter a 36-hole match, daily afterward.   Television coverage begins Wednesday on the Golf Channel and NBC's Peacock.