Matteson Misses Cut At U.S. Amateur

OAKMONT, Pa. — University of Colorado sophomore Adam Matteson finished his suspended second round early Wednesday, but unfortunately finished outside the top 64 in the stroke play qualifying portion needed to advance into match play in the 121st U.S. Amateur.
 
On Tuesday, play was suspended for almost four hours due to dangerous weather in the area (and also reared its ugly head again Wednesday, delaying the start of the 32 match play pairings).  Matteson finished five holes in his second round at even par at Oakmont Country Club before play was suspended due to darkness, and then came back Wednesday and played the last 13 holes at 4-over for a 74 score; combined with his opening 2-over 72 on the Longue Vue Club in nearby Verona, he wound up tying for 118th in the 312-man field with a 6-over 146 score.
 
The cut was at 3-over par.
 
He began his second round on the back nine and resumed play on No. 15 Wednesday, but he was never able to get into a consistent groove.  He bogeyed 15, made par on 16 and then birdied 17 to get back to even.  But he would bogey the next four holes to fall back in the standings.  To his credit, he followed that run with a birdie, his last of the event as he closed with four pars and one more bogey.
 
"The tournament was an amazing experience, especially to play an extremely tough golf course," Matteson said.  "I definitely learned a lot from the week and I am excited for the upcoming season. 
 
 "It was definitely tough for round two, teeing off four hours later than my original tee time, but the course was actually playing a little easier," he added.  "That was because it was playing softer, so honestly, it wasn't too bad.
 
West Virginia senior Mark Goetz was the stroke play medalist with a 64-68—132 (8-under) performance.  Just 28 players finished under par, while another eight played the two courses combined at even.  Over a third of the field were 10-over par or higher (46 of those were plus-15 or worse).
 
Only one of the 32 matches was completed Wednesday, so the others will resume Thursday  when two rounds are also scheduled to be played 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.