DENVER—Kyle Leach defeated Rickie Fowler 2 and 1 in a third round match play match Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the 83rd U.S. Amateur Public Links.
“I beat the top United State amateur,” said Leach. “It’s overwhelming.”
Leach of Louisville, Ky., earned a shot at Fowler by beating Scott Langley, 1-up earlier in the day.
“I went out and stuck to my game,” said Leach, a junior to be at Bellarmine University in Louisville. “My putter was great and I made a lot of putts.”
Leach said the key putt came at No. 13 when he hit a 10-foot putt for bogey to win the hole. Fowler missed an 8-footer bogey putt.
“I expect myself to win everything,” Fowler said. “So it’s a letdown when I lose or get second.”
In the morning, Fowler didn’t play at his best, but still defeated last year’s runner-up, Cody Paladino, 4 and 3. Fowler was only 1-up at the turn, and won the 11th hole with a par and birdied the 12th hole with a short birdie putt.
“I felt like I’m getting my game together,” Fowler said. “I had a few mistakes in the first two matches, but started playing well at the end.”
Corey Nagy, fifth, from Charlotte, was the only top-seeded golfer to advance to the quarterfinals. Nagy defeated Grant Leaver of Centerville. Tenn., 2 and 1.
Tenth seed Andy Winings, Brownsburg, Ind. missed making the quarterfinals, losing 3 and 2 to David Johnson, Palm Bay, Fla. in a third round match.
The other quarterfinalists are Cason Hammock, Columbus, Ga., Randall Hutchison, Traverse City, Mich., Jack Newman, Des Moines, Iowa, Jeff Dennis, Jacksonville and John Chin, Temecula, Calif.
Two top 10-seeded golfers were eliminated in second round matches. Fourth seed Brian Locke, Los Angeles, lost 2 and 1 to Kelly Kretz, Antigo, Wis.., and David Johnson beat seven seed Jon McLean, Weston, Fla., 1-up.
Brady Johnson, Mill Bay, British Columbia, was beaten 3 and 2 by Hammock in a morning match. The loss came a day after Johnson had stunned medalist Aaron Goldberg.
