Around the Green

Top Seed Dru Fenimore Advances to Quarterfinals

HOUSTON – Top seed Dru Fenimore survived the first day of match play to advance to the quarterfinals of the Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play Championship at Houston’s Lakeside Country Club.
Co-Medalists Dru Fenimore and Tyler Garrett both narrowly survived their Round of 32 matches this morning at Lakeside CC. The match of Fenimore and Lopez was decided after extra holes while the match of Garrett and Esch was decided on the 18^th.
 Fenimore, the No. 1 seed from Dallas, started the match play portion with a victory on the 20^th hole over Luis Lopez, of Kingwood. Both players never had more than a one up advantage in the match as they finished the 18^th hole all square. The match was taken to extra holes to determine a victor.
Garrett, of Houston, held on for a 1-Up victory on the 18^th hole over David Esch. Esch, of Irving, was down three after the 12^th hole but he was able to win three holes in a row to square the match. The match was decided on the 18^th green with a final birdie from Garrett.
Past champions Mike Peck (2014), Jess Bonneau (2011), and Terrance Miskell (2008) advanced beyond the Round of 32. Peck, of Irving, held on to a 1-up victory to keep his hopes of retaining his title.  Bonneau, of Houston, cruised to a 6 & 5 victory over Ryan Matthews. Miskell, of New Braunfels, defeated Bob Koort 4 & 3.
Eric Otness, Lakeside’s Men’s Club Champion, didn’t capitalize on his berth into match play and fell 2 & 1 to Spring’s Randy Lance.
The Round of 16 began this afternoon at 1:00 PM with the match of Dru Fenimore and Ryan Haselden. The top seed continued his solid play and won 2-up. Fenimore’s opponent in the Quarterfinals will be the No. 8 seed, Scott Abbott. Abbott, of Dallas, is coming off a 7 & 6 victory in the Round of 16. Fenimore and Abbott will tee off at 7:30 AM tomorrow morning.
The second Quarterfinal match puts the No. 13 seed Justin Kaplan against the No. 5 seed Eric Lodge. Kaplan, of Houston, is coming off of a 1-up upset over the No. 4 seed James Glenn.
The lone past champion that remains after the round of 16 is this afternoon’s matches is Terrance Miskell. Miskell continued his solid play and upset co-medalist Tyler Garrett 3 & 2.  The 2008 champion will face the No. 23 seed Ted Waldrip in the third Quarterfinal tomorrow. Waldrip is coming off a 3 & 2 victory over last year’s runner-up and past champion Jess Bonneau.
Mike Peck’s quest to repeat as champion ended on the 19^th hole of his afternoon match. Peck was upset by the No. 27 seed John Derrick.  Peck missed a four foot put to extend the match. Derrick, of Waco, will go up against the No. 3 seed Brooks Price. Price, of Dallas, continued his march down the bracket with a 3 & 1 victory over Randy Lance.
Quarterfinal matches will start at 7:30 am on Saturday, followed by the Semifinal matches in the afternoon starting at 1:00 pm.
Live 9 Hole Scoring will be available for tomorrow’s Quarterfinal matches with the Semifinals having live hole-by-hole scoring provided.
 For complete scoring from Friday’s Round of 32 & Round of 16 matches, click here.
For more information on the 2015 Texas Mid-Amateur Match Play Championship, click here.