All-foreign semis set in US Amateur

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August 16, 2013AP - Sports

BROOKLINE, Mass. (AP) -- Australians Brady Watt andOliver Goss advanced to the U.S. Amateur semifinals Friday along with Canada's Corey Conners and England'sMatt Fitzpatrick, marking the first time that an American has failed to reach the final four.

Watt, a co-medalist in stroke-play qualifying, had a dramatic 1-up victory over 17-year-old Scottie Scheffler of Dallas.Scheffler, the U.S. Junior Amateur champion, had a hole-in-one on the par-3 seventh and trailed only once - when Wattmade a 5-foot par putt to win the match on the 18th hole.

On Saturday at The Country Club, Watt will face Goss - a 5-and-3 winner over Brandon Matthews of Dupont, Pa.

Watt and Goss, close friends who are staying at the same house nearby, planned to attend the Boston Red Sox's game Friday night at Fenway Park against the New York Yankees - in seats down near the field.

''We're great mates and we've had a lot of close tournaments together, and we really enjoy playing together,'' Watt said. ''I think we get the best out of ourselves and with the amount of people out there today, we're going to look forward to tomorrow to show everyone good shots.

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In this photo provided by USGA, Brady Watt, left, of Australia, shakes hands with Scottie Scheffler, …

Goss, an Amateur quarterfinalist last year, has a winning streak going over his pal.

''He beat me in the state amateur stroke play, and then he beat me in the match play, and then he beat me in a five-hole playoff in the W Open,'' Goss said.

''I guess he owes me a couple,'' said Watt, who attends the University of Tennessee.

Goss, who said he was ''about 5-9 and 9 1/2 stones (133 pounds), had a tough road to the quarters and was relieved to win easily Friday.

''My first three matches were really tight. I think I played 53 of 54 holes,'' he said. ''So to win 5 and 3 was pretty unexpected. But I'm glad I got the job done.''

View gallery."

In this photo provided by USGA, Scottie Scheffler, left, is congratulated by his sister/caddie Calli …

Fitzpatrick, trying to become the first English winner since 1911, beat Adam Ball of Richmond, Va., 4 and 3; and Conners topped co-medalist Neil Raymond of England 5 and 3.

Fitzpatrick breezed through the four match-play rounds without having to play past the 15th hole.

''I don't want to get too over-confident and think I'm the next best thing because I'm definitely not,'' said Fitzpatrick, who plays at Northwestern.

Said Connors: ''I definitely had really high expectations coming into the tournament. My game has been really solid all summer.''

Scheffler, who still has a year of high school left but has committed to the University of Texas, had been the come-from-behind king in earlier rounds but said, ''I didn't finish as well as I've been this week - I guess that's why I lost.''

Europeans take 5-3 lead in Solheim Cup

Dennis Georgatos, The Sports Xchange August 16, 2013The SportsXchange

PARKER, Colo. -- Trying to win its first Solheim Cup on U.S. soil, the European team took to the undulating Colorado Golf Club course and grabbed a 5-3 lead Friday on the first of three days of match-play competition.

The American squad gained a split of the afternoon's four "Four Ball" matches after dropping three of four in the morning matches.

 Americans Cristie Kerr and Michelle Wie beat Catriona Matthew and Charley Hull, at 17 the youngest to play in theSolheim Cup, 2 and 1. Brittany Lang and Brittany Lincicomealso earned a point for the Americans, beating Anna Nordqvist and Giulia Sergas 4 and 3 after Lang buried a short birdie putt on the par-5 15th. 

Lang produced an important shot to put that match firmly in the Americans' control on the 14th when she holed a shot from a bunker on the fringe of the green.

 Europe's Suzann Pettersen and Carlota Ciganda were 1-up winners over Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson but not without some controversy over a drop on the par-5 15th hole. Ciganda put her second shot into a stand of trees and scrub brush, and, in a confusing sequence, course officials took some 20 minutes to sort out the appropriate spot for her drop. Eventually, she was allowed to take a drop on the fairway and got her fourth shot within 12 feet of the hole. She ended up saving par to keep the match all squared after Lewis missed a birdie putt. 

One hole later, on the 16th, Pettersen made a birdie to give the Europeans a one-stroke advantage, which they hung on to the rest of the way to win the match.

 Caroline Hedwall and Caroline Masson took another afternoon match for Europe with a 2-and-1 victory overAngela Stanford and Gerina Piller. 

 Europe won the last Solheim Cup in Ireland two years ago, but the Americans are 6-0 in Solheim Cup play in the United States. 

The European squad got off to a strong start by taking three of the four morning matches in "Foursome" play.

 Jessica Korda and Morgan Pressel accounted for the lone U.S. point from the morning session when they beat Matthew and Jodi Ewart Shadoff 3 and 2. 

"I think we both played well out there today," said Pressel, who teamed with Korda for birdie putts on the 11th and 13th holes to pull away. "We were a little shaky early, a little bit nervous. But we didn't make many mistakes and we were able to make some really good par-saving putts."

Swedish golfers Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall put the first point on the board for Europe when they defeated Lewis and Lizette Salas 4 and 2 in the opening match.

 Norway's Pettersen and Spain's Beatriz Recari gave Europe its second point when they beat Texans Brittany Lang and Angela Stanford 2 and 1. 

 A 2-and-1 victory by Azahara Munoz of Spain and Karine Icher of France against Kerr and Paula Creamerrounded out the morning session. Munoz and Icher strung together consecutive birdies on Nos. 8, 9 and 10 to seize the momentum in the match. 

"We played well from the beginning and we had an amazing stretch on 8, 9 and 10 making bombs. That was huge for us," Munoz said.

Creamer said problems in their short game cost them.

"We just didn't make a putt," Creamer said. "We had so many lip-outs and it's just that's the way it was."

Europeans take 5-3 lead in Solheim Cup

Dennis Georgatos, The Sports Xchange August 16, 2013The SportsXchange

PARKER, Colo. -- Trying to win its first Solheim Cup on U.S. soil, the European team took to the undulating Colorado Golf Club course and grabbed a 5-3 lead Friday on the first of three days of match-play competition.

The American squad gained a split of the afternoon's four "Four Ball" matches after dropping three of four in the morning matches.

 Americans Cristie Kerr and Michelle Wie beat Catriona Matthew and Charley Hull, at 17 the youngest to play in theSolheim Cup, 2 and 1. Brittany Lang and Brittany Lincicomealso earned a point for the Americans, beating Anna Nordqvist and Giulia Sergas 4 and 3 after Lang buried a short birdie putt on the par-5 15th. 

Lang produced an important shot to put that match firmly in the Americans' control on the 14th when she holed a shot from a bunker on the fringe of the green.

 Europe's Suzann Pettersen and Carlota Ciganda were 1-up winners over Stacy Lewis and Lexi Thompson but not without some controversy over a drop on the par-5 15th hole. Ciganda put her second shot into a stand of trees and scrub brush, and, in a confusing sequence, course officials took some 20 minutes to sort out the appropriate spot for her drop. Eventually, she was allowed to take a drop on the fairway and got her fourth shot within 12 feet of the hole. She ended up saving par to keep the match all squared after Lewis missed a birdie putt. 

One hole later, on the 16th, Pettersen made a birdie to give the Europeans a one-stroke advantage, which they hung on to the rest of the way to win the match.

 Caroline Hedwall and Caroline Masson took another afternoon match for Europe with a 2-and-1 victory overAngela Stanford and Gerina Piller. 

 Europe won the last Solheim Cup in Ireland two years ago, but the Americans are 6-0 in Solheim Cup play in the United States. 

The European squad got off to a strong start by taking three of the four morning matches in "Foursome" play.

 Jessica Korda and Morgan Pressel accounted for the lone U.S. point from the morning session when they beat Matthew and Jodi Ewart Shadoff 3 and 2. 

"I think we both played well out there today," said Pressel, who teamed with Korda for birdie putts on the 11th and 13th holes to pull away. "We were a little shaky early, a little bit nervous. But we didn't make many mistakes and we were able to make some really good par-saving putts."

Swedish golfers Nordqvist and Caroline Hedwall put the first point on the board for Europe when they defeated Lewis and Lizette Salas 4 and 2 in the opening match.

 Norway's Pettersen and Spain's Beatriz Recari gave Europe its second point when they beat Texans Brittany Lang and Angela Stanford 2 and 1. 

 A 2-and-1 victory by Azahara Munoz of Spain and Karine Icher of France against Kerr and Paula Creamerrounded out the morning session. Munoz and Icher strung together consecutive birdies on Nos. 8, 9 and 10 to seize the momentum in the match. 

"We played well from the beginning and we had an amazing stretch on 8, 9 and 10 making bombs. That was huge for us," Munoz said.

Creamer said problems in their short game cost them.

"We just didn't make a putt," Creamer said. "We had so many lip-outs and it's just that's the way it was."