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By Kent Larsen
'Mormon' Attack on Tiger Woods' Records Fails
ATLANTA, GEORGIA -- A double-barrell attack on Tiger Woods' US Amateur
Championship records came up empty Friday as both defending US Amateur
Champion and LDS Church member Jeff Quinney and 17-year-old Danile
Summerhays lost in the tournament's quarterfinals. Quinney lost by just one
hole to his former ASU teammate and fellow Oregonian Brian Nosler while
Summerhays, the youngest player in the quarterfinals, lost to Robert
Hamilton, the oldest player.
Had either gone on to win the tournament, instead of just making the
quarterfinals where they were two of eight players, they would have met or
taken Tiger Woods' US Amateur Championship record. At 17, Summerhays would
have been the youngest ever US Amateur Champion, a record that now will
remain with Tiger Woods, who won his first US Amateur Championship at age
18. Had Quinney won, he would have been the first repeat champion since
Woods, who is the only player to win the tournament in three succeeding years.
Summerhays took his loss with grace, saying he was happy with his
experience, "Being here at 17 is just a dream come true," he said. "I
definitely got beat by the better player. Yes I could have played better,
but Robert could have played better too. . . . [Hamilton] deserves it. He's
the better player." Hamilton, in turn, was gracious in return, "Hey, I've
got a few years on you," he replied. "Just keep doing what you're doing."
Summerhays, the nephew of PGA Senior Tour pro Bruce Summerhays, starts his
senior year of high school today. He plans to sign with BYU for next year
and serve an LDS mission.
For Quinney the loss was more of a shock. He led Nosler by two holes with
four to go, but lost the match in those four holes. Even on the 18th green,
he could have tied the match and extended it, but instead missed a 5-foot
put. Immediately after his loss, Quinney announced that he would turn pro
and make his PGA Tour debut this week in the Air Canada Championship in
British Columbia. As a former US Amateur Champion, Quinney was able to
compete in the Masters, US Open and British Open earlier this year and still
has seven exceptions that allow him to compete in PGA Tour events. With good
play he could parlay these events into a permanent spot on the tour.
While neither Quinney nor Summerhays were BYU students (at least not yet),
one BYU player was also competing in the US Amateur Championship
quarterfinals. Manuel Marizalde won his quarterfinal match, but lost
Saturday in the semifinals. However, Mormon News isn't covering his
performance, because he is Roman Catholic.
Sources:
Golf: U.S. Amateur Notebook
Atlanta GA Journal-Constitution 25Aug01 S2
By Glenn Sheeley and Karen Rosen: Staff
Quinney knocked off at U.S. Amateur
Akron OH Beacon Journal 25Aug01 S2
Ex-roomate stuns defending champ
Hamilton and Dickerson to play for U.S. Amateur title
Philadelphia PA Inquirer 26Aug01 S2
By Joe Logan: Inquirer Staff Writer
Final (unknown) four vie for U.S. Amateur title
Philadelphia PA Inquirer 25Aug01 S2
By Joe Logan: Inquirer Staff Writer
Cougars' Merizalde Falls in Semifinals
Salt Lake Tribune 26Aug01 S2
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