July 16, 2009

NORMAN, Okla. – South Carolina rising sophomore Wesley Bryan came from behind on the final few holes to defeat Chris Polski of Eugene, Ore., 1 up, in the third round of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship on Thursday afternoon. He will play the top seed in the tournament in the quarterfinals, which will begin early Friday morning.

Bryan won the first hole, but he would not win another until the 12th. By that point, Polski was 2 up following wins at the eighth and ninth. Bryan would win the 12th and 14th to square the match, but Polski would win the 15th to go back up by one hole. A Bryan par, coupled with a double-bogey by Polski at the 17th, squared the match with one hole to play. Bryan would come through in a big way with his only birdie of the round to win the hole and the match.

The native of Chapin, S.C., is slated to face the tournament’s top seed, University of Washington junior Nick Taylor, in the tournament quarterfinals at 7 a.m. CDT Friday. Taylor, a 2009 first-team All-American, was the medalist in the stroke play portion of the event and has yet to have a match go past the 14th hole. He won his third-round match over Southern Illinois’ Todd Obergoenner, 6 and 5.

Fans can follow Bryan’s match Friday morning through usapl.org.