Mo GolfThe field is down to 32 at the Missouri Amateur Championship, hosted by the Missouri Golf Association at the Jefferson City Country Club. Temperatures will hover around 90 Friday afternoon as the field will narrow from 32 down to eight by the end of Friday.

(1) Luigi Botta, the stroke play medalist at 140, made quick work of (64) Devin Brown jumping out to a five hole lead through seven holes and finished at 6&5. Botta, a member of the University of Missouri Tigers golf team, will have three more years of college eligibility entering next season.

As quickly as the first match ended, (33) Gabe Wheeler needed 19 holes to defeat, last year’s Junior Match Play Champion, Brett Windsor.

All former Missouri Amateur Champions in the field would go on to reach the Round of 32. (16) Wayne Fredrick defeated (49) Drew Denton 5&4. (4) Brad Nurski defeated (61) Brad Dixon 5&4. (2) Joey Johnson defeated (63) Jeremy Reidelberger 4&3. Last year’s champion, (55) Mitchell Mather defeated (10) Marc McClain Jr. 1UP.

(19) Tim Holmes and (36) Sam Holmes, the father and son duo from Springfield, both advanced to the Round of 32. The two would only meet in the championship round. “Although it would be a special experience to face off against my dad in the championship round, I’m going to take it one match at a time. This is a very talented field, and I’m just happy to be a part of such a special and prestigious championship,” Sam Holmes said in an interview after the round.

An impressive performance came from Southern Mississippi commit, (8) Walker Kesterson winning 7&6. (7) Chase Hanna and (3) Preston Fleenor, also turned in impressive rounds winning their matches 9&8 and 8&6 respectively.

There were nine upsets based on the match play seeding after the first two rounds of stroke play. The “underdogs” advancing to the Round of 32 are: (33) Gabe Wheeler, (40) Sam Migdal, (56) Kirk Farmer, (36) Sam Holmes, (60) Brad Dixon, (44) Jack Knoesel, (50) Colby Yates, (43) Frankie Thomas, and (59) Chris Martin.

Action resumes at 8am.

2016 Missouri Amateur
Championship — (Round of 64)

Luigi Botta 1 Devin Brown 64 Botta 6 and 5
Joey Johnson 2 Jeremy Reidelberger 63 Johnson 4 and 3
Preston Fleenor 3 Zach Cutler 62 Fleenor 8 and 6
Brad Nurski 4 Brady Dixon 61 Nurski 5 and 4
Derek Reynolds 5 Brad Dixon 60 Dixon 1 up
Brian Haskell 6 Chris Martin 59 Martin 19 holes
Chase Hanna 7 Jeff Johnson 58 Hanna 9 and 8
Walker Kesterson 8 Drew Hatten 57 Kesterson 7 and 6
Chad Niezing 9 Kirk Farmer 56 Farmer 1 up
Marc McClain Jr 10 Mitchell Mather 55 Mather 1 up
Hunter Parrish 11 Andrew Horner 54 Parrish 5 and 4
Travis Mays 12 Christopher Obert 53 Mays 2 and 1
Kory Franks 13 John McCulloch 52 Franks 6 and 5
Dillon Eaton 14 Adam Johnson 51 Eaton 3 and 1
Jon Hughes 15 Colby Yates 50 Yates 5 and 3
Wayne Fredrick 16 Drew Denton 49 Fredrick 5 and 4
Jason Cahill 17 Jack Litzelfelner III 48 Cahill 6 and 5
Mitch Rutledge 18 Brevin Giebler 47 Rutledge 4 and 3
Tim Holmes 19 David Johnson 46 Holmes 1 up
David Strickland 20 Kyle Szyhowski 45 Strickland 3 and 2
Steve Groom 21 Jack Knoesel 44 Knoesel 3 and 2
Buddy Allen 22 Frankie Thomas 43 Thomas 2 and 1
Griffen Locke 23 Patrick Britt 42 Locke 2 and 1
Matt Echelmeier 24 Alex Ciaramitaro 41 Echelmeier 5 and 3
Teddy Jones 25 Sam Migdal 40 Migdal 1 up
Phil Caravia 26 Tyler Stalker 39 Caravia 3 and 1
Kaden Macha 27 Alex Locke 38 Macha 4 and 3
Jack Carter 28 Michael Silberberg 37 Carter 4 and 3
Brad Carpenter 29 Sam Holmes 36 Holmes 2 and 1
Trevor Cronin 30 Tristan Haltom 35 Cronin 19 holes
Nick Sheppard 31 Will Echelmeier 34 Sheppard 6 and 5
Brett Windsor 32 Gabe Wheeler 33 Wheeler 19 holes