Sports

Los Alamitos' Own Charges Ahead in Golf's U.S. Amateur Championships

Patrick Cantlay advanced to the quarterfinals this morning and could end up taking on the man who beat him last year to become champion.

Patrick Cantlay is almost all the way back.

A 3 and 1 victory over Tom Lewis on Friday morning advanced him to the quarterfinals of the 2011 U.S. Amateur Championships at Erin Hills Golf Course in Erin, WI.

Cantlay, a Los Alamitos native and 19-year-old graduate of Servite High, plays Friday afternoon in the round of 8 against Max Buckley of Rye, NY. Follow the match live online.

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Last year, Cantlay advanced to the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Peter Uihlein. If Cantlay wins the Friday afternoon match, he would be back in the semifinals and again could face Uihlein.

Against Lewis, from England, Cantlay did not get a lead in the head-to-head match until the 11th hole, which he won with a par-4. But he quickly seized momentum, winning the 12th with a par and the 13th with a birdie 2 to go 3 up.

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“I made a nice 35-footer for birdie on the 13th to go 3 up, and that gave me some confidence going forward,” Cantlay said.

Lewis made his own birdie at the 16th to climb back within 2 holes, but then bogeyed the 17th and when Cantlay made par, the match was closed.

Cantlay won his first match 5 and 4 over Max Scordro of Chicago, then played a scintillating, 21-hole epic against Russell Henley of Macon, GA on Thursday to reach the quarterfinals.


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