Alex Fitzpatrick hoping to emulate brother Matt by winning US Amateur
The 19-year-old, the younger brother of Ryder Cup player Matt Fitzpatrick and incoming freshman at Wake Forest University, beat the American 2&1 in the match play tournament in California.
At the start of the round, both men birdied the first but Siebers then bogeyed the second, third, fourth and sixth, allowing Fitzpatrick to quickly move four up.
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Hide AdThey both bogeyed the seventh but a Siebers birdie on the next saw him win his first hole of the day, and when Fitzpatrick bogeyed the next two, the gap was down to one.
From there, Fitzpatrick, who as a 14-year-old caddied for Matt when he won this event in 2013 at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, birdied the 11th, with both players halving the remaining holes until the 17th.
American Braden Thornberry, the No 1-ranked amateur, suffered an upset after being beaten 2&1 by Argentina’s Jesus Montenegro.
Montenegro quickly jumped to three up after five holes, but a fightback by Thornberry saw him square the match by the 11th. A cluster of bogeys ensued, however, and Montenegro grabbed the lead and the win.
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Hide AdMexico’s Raul Pereda and American Trey Winstead were stretched to 23 holes, Pereda ultimately being crowned the winner after a par to Winstead’s bogey on the par-three fifth hole.
No 2 amateur Justin Suh was beaten by Harrison Ott, who finished one up, and American Collin Morikawa, who makes up the top three ranking, also failed to progress as compatriot John Augenstein finished one up after 19 holes.