By Alex Miceli

Village of Pinehurst, N.C. - After two days of stroke play, 315 players were whittled down to 64.

At least that was the plan. But after Tuesday’s second round of stroke play there were still two spots available with 26 golfers left to battle it out in a playoff at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday.

It didn’t take long for the 26 to get slashed down to just three as Ross Beal, Jason Bittick and Jack Newman birdied the first playoff hole on the No. 4 course. From that point it took a bit longer to determine the positions.

Bittick, playing in his first U.S. Amateur, would grab the 63rd spot with a par on the third playoff hole and face Wesley Bryan in the first round of match play.

"I had packed up my things thinking I would be gone," said Bittick, a former U.S. Marine. "But it looks like I get to stick around another day."

Beal and Newman would go another three holes. Beal broke the stalemate with an improbable par. He got up and down from a mass of trees on the 16th hole to move on to play medalist Robbie Fillmore.

"It wasn’t the greatest lie, but you need those breaks to have an opening every now and then," said Beal. "I hit the perfect shot up there, but I was a little afraid I might chunk it."

Tway’s Bag

The PGA Tour begins its playoff this week at The Barclays at Ridgewood Country Club, in Paramus, N.J. Standing at 119th on the FedEx Cup points list, Bob Tway qualified for the field, but hadn’t made up his mind if he was going to play or not.

Instead of learning the Ridgewood course, Tway sent his caddie on ahead and took over looping duties for his son Kevin in the first round of the U.S. Amateur. A job that the elder Tway would not relinquish if Kevin moved on.

He received his answer after Kevin had a birdie 3 on the 18^th hole to outlast Phillip Francis, 2 up.

"When he got into the U.S. Open it automatically qualified him for the U.S. Amateur and I said I'll go caddie there," said Tway. "And at that time I hadn't played very well to even be in the FedEx Cup. I played better after the U.S. Open and got up there, but you know, if I was 35 years old or whatever, it might be a bigger deal. But right now this is much more important to me."

Tway was on his son’s bag at the U.S. Open as well. While he said he only caddies at majors, he seems very happy to have the opportunity to spend the time with his son.

"We just hang out," said Tway. "Our relationship is really good. If it wasn't I don't think we could do what we do."

On The Bag

Derek Fathauer made it to Thursday’s second round of the U.S. Amateur. On his bag is his girlfriend, Amanda Henry. It’s a different case from last year at The Olympic Club when Fathauer used a different Amanda. That Amanda was Amanda Bruski, who met at the Fathauer at the U.S. Amateur Public Links in Wheaton, Ill.

Bruski couldn’t caddie for Fathauer this year because Eddie Olson, who lost in the first round to Drew Kittleson, already solicited her services. Olson had met Bruski when she caddied for James Minahan during the same Public Links last year. According to all parties, they’re all just friends.

Chip Shots

Only 17 states were represented in the final 64 players, with California leading the field with nine players. … Five former Walker Cuppers made it to match play. Rickie Fowler, Billy Horschel, Jamie Lovemark and Kyle Stanley played on the 2007 team that won in Northern Ireland. Brian Harman played on the 2005 team, which won at Chicago Golf Club.

Alex Miceli is a freelance writer whose work has previously appeared on www.usamateur.org.