Top Seed Ryan Moore Credits His Putter With Getting Him To The U.S. Amateur Semifinals

Mamaroneck, N.Y. - Ryan Moore, 21, of Puyallup, Wash., and Chris Nallen, 22, of Hackettstown, N.J., the top two finishers at the 2004 NCAA Division I championship, were among the four golfers who advanced Friday to the semifinal round of the U.S. Amateur at Winged Foot Golf Club.

The other quarterfinal winners were Jeff Overton, 21, of Bloomington, Ind., and Luke List, 19, of Ringgold, Ga., a 2003 U.S. Open qualifier. Moore will face Overton while Nallen will meet List in Saturday's semifinal matches. The 36-hole final match is set scheduled for Sunday.

Ryan Moore stayed alive by defeating Jason Hartwick, 3 and 2. (John Mummert/USGA)

Moore, the top seed heading into match play after 36 holes of qualifying stroke play, won four holes in a five-hole stretch to take a 3-up advantage after 12 holes of his quarterfinal match against Jason Hartwick, 22, of Sacramento, Calif. He protected his lead the rest of the way, winning 3 and 2.

In addition to winning the NCAA title in this year, Moore has wins at the U.S. Amateur Public Links and the Western Amateur. He qualified for the 2002 U.S. Open and made the cut at the 2003 Masters Tournament. The last two stroke play medalists to win the Amateur were Tiger Woods in 1996 and Phil Mickelson in 1991. His match play record in all USGA championships combined (7) is now 25-4.

Moore credited his putter for the win, but didn't want to think about getting to the Amateur final just yet.

"I've been rolling it better and better every day," said Moore of his putting. "In match play, that's what you have to do.

"I guess you think about (winning) now, but if you get too far ahead of yourself, it can cost you. I'm playing well and I'm having fun out there. I would love to be there on Sunday. That would be great."

Nallen roared out to a 5-up advantage after eight holes against Dayton Rose, 21, of Midwest City, Okla. He lost the ninth, but he rebounded to win holes 11 and 12 and closed out Rose by a 6-and-5 margin. He was the equivalent of 1 under par for his 13 holes.

"My whole summer, I've worked toward this tournament," said Nallen, a recent graduate of the University of Arizona. "This is my fourth time (in the Amateur). To get my name on that trophy would be a dream come true."

Past winners of the Amateur include greats Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Woods was a three-time winner from 1994-96.

Moore and Nallen were members of last summer's USA Walker Cup team that competed against a top amateur squad from Great Britain and Ireland.

In another of the quarterfinal matches, Overton won the last two holes with pars for a 2-up decision over Andy Svoboda of Stamford, Conn. Svoboda, a 24-year-old member at Winged Foot, is a four-time Club champion.

List won three holes in a four-hole stretch to stand 3 up through the 11^th against Danny Green of Jackson, Tenn., in his quarterfinal. It would end that way, with List a winner, 3 and 2, ending the 47-year-old Green's hope of becoming the oldest ever Amateur champion. Green was a finalist in 1989.

The Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

Mamaroneck, N.Y. - Results of Friday's quarterfinal round of match play at the U.S. Amateur Championship, at the 7,266-yard, par 35-35--70, West Course at Winged Foot Golf Club:

Quarterfinal Round

#1 Ryan Moore, Puyallup, Wash. (139) def. #9 Jason Hartwick, Sacramento, Calif. (144), 3 and 2

#20 Jeff Overton, Evansville, Ind. (146) def. #5 Andy Svoboda, Stamford, Conn. (143), 2 up

#10 Chris Nallen, Hackettstown, N.J. (144) def. #18 Dayton Rose, Midwest City, Okla. (146), 6 and 5

#6 Luke List, Ringgold, Ga. (143) def. #35 Danny Green, Jackson, Tenn. (148), 3 and 2

Mamaroneck, N.Y. - Pairings for Saturday's semifinal round of match play at the U.S. Amateur Championship, at the 7,266-yard, par 35-35--70, West Course at Winged Foot Golf Club (Times are EDT):

10:00 a.m. - Moore vs. Overton

10:15 a.m. - Nallen vs. List