A Look At the 2007 U.S. Amateur Quarterfinalists

Casey Clendenon, 23, of Jackson, Miss.
Advanced to the quarterfinals with a 4-and-3 victory over Andrew Putnam … is playing in his first U.S. Amateur … played in the 2001 and 2002 U.S. Junior Amateurs … victories include the 2007 Houstonian and the 2006 UCF Invitational … runner-up at the 2006 Southland Conference Championship … the 2005-06 Southland Conference Player of the Year … … has a career-low round of 65, shot in Mississippi in 2001 … will be a senior at Lamar University in 2007-08 … son of Jim Clendenon … birth date: Aug. 15, 1984.

Derek Fathauer, 21, of Jensen Beach, Fla.
Advanced to the quarterfinals with a 6-and-4 victory over stroke-play medalist Jason Kokrak … playing in his third U.S. Amateur … lost in the first round in 2006 and missed the cut in 2003 … advanced to the semifinals at the 2007 U.S. Amateur Public Links … also played in the 2005 and 2006 Amateur Public Links, advancing to match play both times … won the 2006 Big East Conference Championship, the 2006 Central Preview, the 2006 Rich Harvest Farms and the 2006 Wolf Run Intercollegiate … runner-up finishes include the 2007 Robert Kepler Intercollegiate … became the first Louisville golfer to earn All-America honors when he was named a third-team selection in 2006-07 … has a career-low round of 64, shot at the Eagle Marsh Club Championship in 2003 … has three career holes-in-one … a senior at the University of Louisville in 2007-08 … has a twin brother, Daryl, who also played in the 2007 U.S. Amateur … also has a younger brother, Devon … son of Barbara and Jay … born Jan. 20, 1986.

Colt Knost, 22, of Dallas, Texas
Advanced to the quarterfinals with a 2-and-1 victory over 2002 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion George Zahringer … won the 2007 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship … trying to become the sixth golfer to win two USGA titles in the same year … also played in the 2005 and 2006 U.S. Amateurs but didn’t advance to match play either year … named to the 2007 USA Walker Cup team that will play at Royal County Down Golf Club in Northern Ireland in September … shot a second-round 64 at the 2007 PGA Tour EDS Byron Nelson Championship and finished tied for 67^th … won the 2005 Dixie Amateur and was runner-up at the 2004 Dixie Amateur and the 2007 Perry Maxwell … the 2007 Conference USA Player of the Year … a semifinalist for the 2007 Ben Hogan Award, given annually to the best collegiate golfer … lowest competitive score is a 61, shot at Dornick Hills at the 2007 Perry Maxwell … just completed his senior season at Southern Methodist University, where he was named a third-team All-America …birth date: June 26, 1985.

Eddie Olson, 20, of Aptos, Calif.
Advanced to the quarterfinals with a victory in 19 holes over 2004 U.S. Junior Amateur champion Sihwan Kim … playing in his third U.S. Amateur … made match play in both 2005 and 2006 … in 2005, traveled to Merion Golf Club for the Amateur after winning the NCGA Amateur at Spyglass … had to reschedule his flight and eventually took a $300 cab ride from Washington D.C. to Philadelphia Airport, where the airline was unable to find his clubs … also made the cut at the 2007 U.S. Amateur Public Links, where he finished third in stroke play … other victories include the Future Collegiate World Tour (FCWT) ASU Junior Golf and the 2004 FCWT Sun Devil Junior … was runner-up at the 2007 Sahalee Players, the 2005 Bayonet Junior Invitational and the 2005 FCWT TPC Junior Golf … the FCWT Player of the Year … has a career-low round of 62, shot at Seascape Golf Course in 2005 … had a hole-in-one at the 2005 California High School State Championship … will be a sophomore at UNLV in 2007-08 … mom, Marlene and sister, Alli … birth date: July 13, 1987.

Cheng Tsung Pan, 15, of Chinese Taipei
Advanced to the quarterfinals with a 5-and-4 victory over Derek Ernst … playing in his first USGA championship … silver medalist at the 2006 Asia Games… has a career-low round of 64, shot in Japan in 2005 … has four sisters and an older brother, Fu Chiang, who also played in the Amateur at Olympic … birth date: Nov. 12, 1991.

Nick Taylor, 19, of Canada
Advanced to the quarterfinals with a 3-and-2 victory over 2007 USA Walker Cupper Jamie Lovemark … playing in his first U.S. Amateur … also played in the 2005 U.S. Junior Amateur, where he advanced to match play … his father is caddieing for him this week … home course is Ledgeview Golf & Country Club in Abbotsford … won the Canadian Men’s Amateur the week before coming to Olympic … will be exempt into the 2008 Canadian Open as a result of his victory … won his first collegiate event at the 2006 UBC Men’s Invitational … won the 2006 Canadian Junior Championship, the 2006 British Columbia Junior Championship and the 2005 Future Links Championship … runner-up at the 2004 British Columbia Juvenile and the High School Provincial … went to Japan with three other Canadian junior golfers to compete in the World Championship … Inducted into the Abbotsford Sports Hall of Fame in 2006 … has a career-low round of 65, shot in a high school championship in 2006 … will be a sophomore at the University of Washington in 2007-08 … son of Jay and Darlene … has an older brother, Josh, who plays golf at the University of Texas-El Paso … birth date: April 14, 1988.