Holmgren Survives Playoff For Match Play at U.S. Amateur, Rallies to Win Opening Match

 
  PINEHURST, N.C. – Carding a birdie on the first hole early Wednesday, former Minnesota Golf Association Amateur champion and North Dakota State University golfer Van Holmgren survived a 27-for-3 playoff to advance to the match play portion of the 2019 U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club.
 
The opening round of match play saw plenty of upsets Wednesday as seven of the top-10 seeds fell during the Round of 64, including stroke-play medalist and No. 1 seed Brandon Wu.
 
Holmgren, a soon-to-be junior from Plymouth, Minn., finished the opening round of stroke play inside the top-10 Monday following a round of 2-under 68. The former Wayzata High School standout stumbled during his second round Tuesday, posting a 7-over 77 to finish on the number and into a playoff for match play.
 
In early bogey trouble to begin the first round of match play against England’s Tom Sloman, Holmgren quickly fell down two through four holes before taking advantage of a Sloman bogey at the fifth to cut the Brit’s lead in half.
 
Winning both the eighth and ninth holes, Holmgren took his first lead of the match before Sloman struck back with a birdie at the 11^th to pull even. Holmgren countered by winning the 12^th with a par and regained a 2-up lead by sinking his birdie chance at the par-3 15^th.
 
Holmgren would close out the match on the ensuing hole with a par to earn the victory, 3 and 2, to knock out the third-seeded Sloman, advancing to the second round of match play. Holmgren will now face Texan Pierceson Cody at 9 a.m. Thursday during the Round of 32.
 
The 2019 U.S. Amateur continues Thursday when the Round of 32 begins at 7 a.m. at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club.
 
 
 
2019 U.S. AMATEUR
PINEHURST RESORT AND COUNTRY CLUB (COURSE NO. 2)
PINEHURST VILLAGE, N.C.
7,246 YARDS, PAR 72
 
 
WEDNESDAY’S ROUND OF 64 RESULTS
VAN HOLMGREN, PLYMOUTH, MINN., def. Tom Sloman, England, 3 and 2
 
 
TUESDAY’S FINAL STROKE PLAY RESULTS
1. Brandon Wu, Scarsdale, N.Y., 65-72—137
T2. Jacob Solomon, Auburn, Ala., 67-71—138
T2. Tom Sloman, England, 70-68—138
T2. Cooper Dossey, Austin, Texas, 71-67—138
T2. Shiryu Oyo, Japan, 71-67—138
T2. Philip Barbaree, Shreveport, La., 71-67—138
T2. Ricky Castillo, Yorba Linda, Calif., 72-66—138
8. Trevor Werbylo, Tucson, Ariz., 66-73—139
T9. Ryan Gerard, Raleigh, N.C., 72-68—140
T9. Austin Hitt, Longwood, Fla., 70-70—140
T9. Steven Fisk, Stockbridge, Ga., 71-69—140
 
T62. VAN HOLMGREN, PLYMOUTH, MINN., 68-77—145
MC. DEREK HITCHNER, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., 71-75—146
MC. BEN GREVE, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., 74-73—147
MC. BEN SIGEL, DEEPHAVEN, MINN., 76-74—150
MC. JOSH PERSONS, FARGO, N.D., 79-76--155
MC. PARKER REDDIG, MINNEAPOLIS, MINN., 85-77—162
 
 
For complete tournament results go to: www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2019/u-s--amateur.html#!scoring