CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. (AP) — In a close, tense match between teammates and friends, Justin Thomas beat fellow University of Alabama player Bobby Wyatt on Thursday to advance to the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur championship at Cherry Hills.
The 19-year-old Thomas won 1 up in the match-play contest against the top-seeded Wyatt, who equaled a tournament record in stroke-play qualifying by shooting 9-under 132.
Thomas will face Australian Oliver Goss, a 2-and-1 winner over Bobby Leopold of Cranston, R.I.
Chris Williams of Moscow, Idaho, who is first in the world amateur rankings, also got in to the quarterfinals by defeating Edouard Espana of France 3 and 2. Williams will face Steven Fox of Hendersonville, Tenn., who advanced with a 2-up victory over Zack Munroe of Charlotte, N.C.