Courtesy of Florida State

VILLAGE OF PINEHURST, N.C. - Florida State University golfer Drew Kittleson, who begins his sophomore year of classes on Monday morning, was defeated by Danny Lee by a 5 and 4 score in the championship finals of the 108th U.S. Amateur Championship on Pinehurst No. 2. Kittleson won five consecutive matches to get to the 36-hole championship match but was unable to stop Lee who is currently ranked as the No. 1 amateur player in the world.

With his finish as a finalist in the event, Kittleson will most likely receive an invitation to play in the 2009 Master's Championship at Augusta and earned an automatic exemption into the 2009 U.S. Open and the 2009 U.S. Amateur Championships.

"If there was one tournament you would want to get second this is definitely it," said Kittleson after the match. "It's got the most benefits, that's for sure. So definitely not a total loss, because I had an unbelievable time this week with everybody, the volunteers, USGA, it was a blast. I couldn't have asked for anything else. I lived the dream for the whole week."

Kittleson began the championship match well as he took a one-hole lead over Lee on the first hole of the morning. He carded a birdie three as compared to Lee's par four on the first hole to take an early lead. He held that lead for until the eighth hole when Lee tied the match. Lee than built a five-hole lead over the next nine holes to complete the first 18 holes of the 36 hole match with a five-hole advantage.

Kittleson carded a one-over par score of 71 with two birdies, 14 holes of par and only two bogeys on his first 18 holes of the day.

"I didn't play that great in the morning I was probably around even or 1 over," said Kittleson.

True to form in this event, Kittleson began to play well and worked his way back into the match over the second round of 18 holes. After Lee took as much as a six hole lead on the second hole of play in the afternoon, Kittleson got hot and trailed by only two shots after eight holes. He was five under par with a score of 27 and won four holes after playing eight holes. During that span, he carded three birdies and an eagle on the par four seventh hole.

"In the afternoon, I tied first hole with a birdie and I lose the second hole with bogey, to go six down," said Kittleson. "And then I go birdie, birdie, and then get 3 down, then I get to 2 down, I chip in for eagle, and then tie with another birdie, and then he birdies the next two."

Lee regained his form and won the championship over the final six holes of the match as he claimed holes No. 9, 10 and 14 to win the prestigious title. Over the final six holes, Lee carded three birdies and three pars in comparison to one birdie and five pars for Kittleson.

"He (Danny) played so well," said Kittleson. "He got some awesome up and downs (on holes) 17 and 18 in the morning that he made real big putts, about 12 footers for birdie or for par to halve the hole. I saw him play really well and any time you see somebody play that well you can say his strength is hitting the fairway, hitting the green and then making a putt."

"Drew showed an incredible amount of heart, talent and sportsmanship," said Seminole Head Coach Trey Jones. "We tell our guys that you can control only what you can control and by his play he did exactly that. He played a strong player who is playing well and he never backed down.

"I'm very proud of Drew because he played all the way to the end," said Jones. "He is one of those players who jus doesn't give up. His play this week doesn't surprise me at all."

Kittleson and his Seminole teammates begin defense of the 2008 ACC Championship at the Fighting Illini Invitational at the Olympia Fields Golf Club Sept. 19-21.

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Courtesy USGA

Village of Pinehurst, N.C. – Danny Lee, 18, of New Zealand, who can become the youngest winner in U.S. Amateur history, and Drew Kittleson, 19, of Scottsdale, Ariz., each won their semifinal match Saturday to advance to Sunday’s 36-hole final at Pinehurst No. 2.

Lee defeated Patrick Reed, 18, of Augusta, Ga., 3 and 2, and Kittleson beat Adam Mitchell, 21, of Chattanooga, Tenn., 4 and 2.

"Well, playing in these great major tournaments, that’s always been my dream," Lee said. "And, now I get the chance to play in the U.S. Open and the Masters. I think it’s going to be a great experience."

One month past his 18^th birthday, Lee would be six months younger than Tiger Woods was in 1994, when Woods won the first of his three consecutive Amateur titles. Lee can also become the second USGA champion from New Zealand, joining Michael Campbell, who won the U.S. Open at Pinehurst in 2005.

Lee, who won the 2008 Western Amateur and finished tied for 20^th at last week’s PGA Tour’s Wyndham Championship, where he played on a sponsor’s exemption, was extended further than he had been in any previous match on the 7,281-yard, par-70, layout that has hosted two U.S. Opens in the last 10 years.

The Rotorua High School senior has only lost nine holes in winning his five matches thus far. Against Reed, he took the lead on the third hole with an 18-foot birdie putt and never trailed.

After birdieing the 15^th from 20 feet to gain a 2-up advantage, Lee moved into uncharted territory playing the 16^th hole for the first time since his stroke play round. There he closed out the match with Reed, an incoming freshman at the University of Georgia, with a par.

A testimony to Lee’s strong play is that he has not trailed since the first hole of his second-round match.

"I’m just having a really, really good week," Lee said. "Everything I hit, everything I putt just falls into the hole and it’s just amazing."

Kittleson overcame a strong start by Mitchell, the 2008 Porter Cup champion, winning holes nine, 10, 11 and 14 to take a 3-up lead.

"I was playing well coming in, but still, you don’t know exactly how you are going to show up for an event," Kittleson said. "But, now that I’ve been hitting it well for a while, I can be a little bit at ease because you get some confidence going."

The Florida State sophomore, who advanced to the round of 16 at the 2006 U.S. Junior Amateur, had defeated 2007 semifinalist and 2008 U.S. Open participant Derek Fathauer to move into the semifinals.

Mitchell had gained early momentum and a 2-up lead on the par-5 fourth hole when his 54-degree wedge shot from 104 yards spun back into the hole for a winning eagle.

The finalists each earn a full exemption to the 2009 U.S. Open and a probable invitation to the 2009 Masters Tournament. The champion earns custody of the Havemeyer Trophy for the ensuing year as well as a spot in the 2009 British Open.

The final match will be televised live on the Golf Channel from 1-4 p.m. (EDT) on Sunday.

The Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

Village of Pinehurst, N.C. – Results of Saturday’s semifinal matches at the U.S. Amateur, played at the 7,281-yard, par-70, No. 2 course:

Drew Kittleson, Scottsdale, Ariz. (143) def. Adam Mitchell, Chattanooga, Tenn. (144), 4 and 2
Danny Lee, New Zealand (141) def. Patrick Reed, Augusta, Ga. (144), 3 and 2

Sunday’s Final Pairing (Time EDT):

8 a.m. and 1 p.m. – Kittleson vs. Lee

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PINEHURST, N.C. – Georgia golfers Adam Mitchell and Patrick Reed continued their impressive marches through the United States Amateur on Friday by advancing to the semifinals.

Playing the famed Pinehurst Resort and Country Club, Mitchell dispatched Charlie Holland 2&1 and Reed defeated Graham Hill 4&3. Mitchell is a rising senior for the Bulldogs, while Reed is an incoming freshman.

The semifinals begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday, with Mitchell taking on Drew Kittleson and Reed facing Danny Lee. The two finalists will meet on Sunday, also at 9 a.m. The Golf Channel will air the semifinals and the championship match from 1-4 p.m. each day.

“It's an honor to be here and it's pretty cool,” Mitchell said. “It's special, very special. You go into every tournament and you have to think have you a chance to win. You're not just playing to make the cut or playing to do this, you're playing to win. And I was, I saw myself being here, but I'm still very excited.”

Mitchell won the first hole against Holland, but was 2 down after six. He regained the lead with a par at the par-3 ninth and went 2 up after 12. He closed the match with pars on Nos. 16 and 17.

Earlier this summer, Mitchell won the prestigious Porter Cup in New York. At the U.S. Amateur, he made it through 36 holes of medal play and then took match play wins over Corey Nagy, Mike McCoy, Rickie Fowler and Holland.

After medal play, Reed was able to defeat Dan Woltman, Brady Exber, Brandon Detweiler and Hill. He needed 19 holes against Woltman and 23 holes against Detweiler.

“I'm speechless about this,” said Reed, whose family moved from Baton Rouge, La., to Augusta in the spring. “I've just been taking one hole at a time, just been hoofing along with my dad who is on the bag, just hitting great shots and just having fun out there. And whatever happens happens. It's led us this far and so hopefully it continues.”

Hill won the first hole, but lost his lead when Reed birdied the par-4 fifth. Reed won Nos. 6, 9, 10 and 11 and was 4 up after 12 holes. Reed birdied No. 14 and closed the match with a par on 15.

Asked about the potential for Georgia’s team this year based on his and Reed’s appearance in the semifinals, Mitchell said, “That shows how awesome our team is and just the depth of our team and how good of a season we're going to have.”

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By Dave Fanucchi, USGA

Village of Pinehurst, N.C. – Top-ranked amateur Danny Lee, 18, of New Zealand, continued his impressive summer hot streak by defeating Wichita State’s Connor McHenry, 20, of Jefferson City, Mo., Thursday afternoon, 7 and 6, to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2008 U.S. Amateur Championship at Pinehurst No. 2.

Lee, who made the cut at last week’s PGA Tour Wyndham Championship nearby in Greensboro, N.C., was the equivalent of six under par for 13 holes in ousting Clemson sophomore Jacob Burger, 5 and 4, in the day’s morning matches.

"I am really confident and played very aggressively today," said Lee. "Everything is working for me right now."

Meanwhile, highly decorated amateur Derek Fathauer, 22, of Jensen Beach, Fla., eliminated a pair of players with well-known fathers in Oklahoma State’s Kevin Tway, 19, of Edmond, Okla., and 18-year-old Peter Uihlein of Bradenton, Fla. Tway’s father, Bob, caddied for his son and skipped this week’s PGA Tour playoff event at The Barclays, while Uihlein is the son of Titleist executive Wally Uihlein.

Fathauer played 42 holes to win his pair of matches. He outlasted Tway in 22 holes in the afternoon, and came from behind to beat Uihlein in 20 holes in the morning.

"These matches have kept getting tougher, but I guess that’s how it goes here," said Fathauer said, who lost a 3-up advantage with five holes to play. "I’m happy with where I’m at and want to keep winning, but I don’t have any expectations. I just go out and play. I’ll get some good rest and be ready to go tomorrow."

Rickie Fowler, 19, of Murrieta, Calif., beat Jake Koppenberg of Everett, Wash., Thursday morning, 6 and 5, but was eliminated in the round of 16 in the afternoon by University of Georgia senior Adam Mitchell, 21, of Chattanooga, Tenn., 5 and 4.

Other players advancing to the quarterfinals include:

    * University of Texas junior Charlie Holland, 22, of Dallas, who got by Stanford sophomore Sihwan Kim, 20, of Buena Park, Calif., in 23 holes, following a morning victory in 20 holes over Erik Flores of Grass Valley, Calif.
    * Oklahoma State’s Morgan Hoffmann, 18, of Saddle Brook, N.J., who took care of University of Arkansas senior Andrew Landry, 21, of Groves, Texas, 2 and 1.
    * Nineteen-year-old Drew Kittleson of Scottsdale, Ariz., who dispatched Duke University student Jeff Edelman, 5 and 4.
    * University of Georgia incoming freshman Patrick Reed, 18, of Augusta, Ga., who survived a 23-hole match in the afternoon to eliminate N.C. State’s Brandon Detweiler, 21, of Akron, Pa.
    * Twenty-two-year-old Canadian Graham Hill – a 2008 graduate of Eastern Michigan University – who defeated 2005 U.S. Mid-Amateur Champion Kevin Marsh, 32, of Las Vegas, Nev., 5 and 4.

Continuing coverage of the U.S. Amateur Championship can be seen on the Golf Channel from 12-2 p.m. EDT Friday. Saturday’s semifinal match coverage on the Golf Channel begins at 1 p.m. EDT with a pair of exemptions to the 2009 U.S. Open and probable invitations to the Masters Tournament, while live coverage of Sunday’s 36-hole final match for the Havemeyer Trophy begins at 1 p.m.

Results

Village of Pinehurst, N.C. – Results from Thursday’s second and third rounds of match play at the U.S. Amateur Championship, at the 7,281-yard, par-70, No. 2 course:

Second Round

Upper Bracket

Kevin Tway, Edmond, Okla. (143) def. Robbie Fillmore, Provo, Utah (134), 3 and 2
Derek Fathauer, Jensen Beach, Fla. (140) def. Peter Uihlein, Bradenton, Fla. (140), 20 holes
Drew Kittleson, Scottsdale, Ariz. (143) def. Matthew Swan, Montgomery, Ala. (139), 4 and 3
Jeff Edelman, Southlake, Texas (139) def. Paul Woodbury, Lake City, S.C. (143), 20 holes
Adam Mitchell, Chattanooga, Tenn. (144) def. Mike McCoy, W. Des Moines, Iowa (142), 4 and 3
Rickie Fowler, Murrieta, Calif. (144) def. Jake Koppenberg, Everett, Wash. (141), 6 and 5
Charlie Holland, Dallas, Texas (143) def. Erik Flores, Grass Valley, Calif. (138), 20 holes
Sihwan Kim, Buena Park, Calif. (140) def. Matt Hill, Canada (141), 5 and 4

Lower Bracket

Morgan Hoffmann, Saddle Brook, N.J. (143) def. Wesley Bryan, Chapin, S.C. (136), 2 and 1
Andrew Landry, Groves, Texas (144) def. Billy Horschel, Grant, Fla. (140), 5 and 3
Connor McHenry, Jefferson City, Mo. (142) def. Kyle Stanley, Gig Harbor, Wash. (138), 1 up
Danny Lee, New Zealand (141) def. Jacob Burger, Orangeburg, S.C. (140), 5 and 4
Patrick Reed, Augusta, Ga. (144) def. Brady Exber, Las Vegas, Nev. (142), 4 and 3
Brandon Detweiler, Akron, Pa. (140) def. Brian Harman, Savannah, Ga. (140), 1 up
Graham Hill, Canada (142) def. Skip Berkmeyer, St. Louis, Mo. (144), 1 up
Kevin Marsh, Henderson, Nev. (141) def. Nick Taylor, Canada (140), 2 and 1

Third Round

Upper Bracket

Fathauer def. Tway, 22 holes
Kittleson def. Edelman, 5 and 4
Mitchell def. Fowler, 5 and 4
Holland def. Kim, 23 holes

Lower Bracket

Hoffmann def. Landry, 2 and 1
Lee def. McHenry, 7 and 6
Reed def. Detweiler, 23 holes
Hill def. Marsh, 5 and 4

Match schedule for Friday’s Quarterfinals (times EDT):

10 a.m. - Fathauer vs Kittleson
10:15 a.m. - Mitchell vs Holland
10:30 a.m. - Hoffmann vs Lee
10:45 a.m. - Reed vs Hill