Aug. 20, 2008

PINEHURST, N.C. – South Carolina freshman Wesley Bryan and junior Paul Woodbury advanced into the second round of match play in the U.S. Amateur Championship at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club. Seeded second in the bracket, Bryan dispatched the 63rd seed 4 & 3, while the 41st-seed Woodbury pulled off a 4 & 3 upset. 2007-08 senior Mark Anderson was eliminated from the event, falling to the tournament’s fifth seed 3 & 2.

Facing Jason Bittick of Coto De Caza, Calif., the youthful Bryan fell behind on the first hole and found himself two back through six. A birdie on the par-4 seventh hole topped De Caza’s bogey, and Bryan squared the match with a par on the par-4 eighth hole. Continuing his surge, Bryan went ahead at the turn with a par on No. 9. De Caza matched Bryan on Nos. 10 and 11 but carded a bogey on No. 12 to fall behind by two. Bryan kept the pressure on, winning the par-4 13th with a par and closing the match with a par on No. 15 to go 4-up with just three holes left to play.

Woodbury, on the other hand, handled the fifth-seeded David McDaniel of Tucson, Ariz., nearly from the opening tee shot. The pair split the first two holes before Woodbury regained his early lead with a birdie on the par-5 fourth hole. A birdie on No. 5, a par-4, pushed his lead to two, and the margin grew to three at the turn. Woodbury turned in another birdie on the par-4 14th hole to go up four and matched McDaniel’s par on No. 15 to secure the win.

Anderson struggled out of the game with a bogey on the first hole and was down by three by the fourth hole. He steadied the round and did not lose any more ground through No. 10. His opponent, Erik Flores, double-bogeyed the par-4 11th hole to give up one, but Anderson could not get any closer. After a bogey on the par-4 16th hole, Anderson was down three with just two holes to play.

Woodbury is set to play ninth-seed Jeff Edelman in the second round, while Bryan will take on Jason Millard, seeded 31st.

The full match play bracket can be found at usamateur.org