OLYMPIA FIELDS, III. ? Jon Rahm’s quest to become just the fourth Sun Devil in program history to hoist the Havemeyer Trophy remains a possibility, as the Sun Devil Senior won two matches Thursday to advance to the U.S. Amateur quarterfinals.
Top-ranked amateur @littleJRmaza is on to the #USAmateur Quarterfinals after a 3-and-1 decision over Wetterich. pic.twitter.com/BZjlYeMs8c
? USGA (@USGA) August 20, 2015“It's a great feeling, especially after all the trouble I went through to make it to match play, having to play a playoff, birdieing 16 and 17 of my regular holes to get into that playoff”, said Rahm regarding advancing to the quarterfinals. “I'm extremely proud of myself how I just pulled it off.”
In the Round of 32 the World No.1 Amateur defeated Wake Forrest freshman Cameron Young, 7 and 6 after winning four of the first six holes to earn an early 4-up lead. Rahm closed the match winning four-consecutive holes beginning at the ninth.
Rahm then topped Xavier of Ohio Freshman Daniel Wetterich in the Round of 16, 3 and 1, winning the par-3 fourth with a birdie, the par-4 fifth with a bogey, the par-3 seventh with a par, and the par-3 seventeenth with a birdie.
The Barrika, Spain native never trailed in either match, losing only two holes in total.
“You know, if you don't make bogeys here, it's hard -- you're hardly going to trail, unless someone is playing really good, obviously, and I've been lucky to make birdies, especially today.”, said Rahm. “I had my putter going. I don't know what happened in the morning. I started making putts and I kept it going in the afternoon. Anything inside 10 feet was going in. It just kept me extremely confident.”
Rahm looks to become just the fourth Sun Devil to win the U.S. Amateur with Jeff Quinney (2000), Phil Mickelson (1990), and Billy Mayfair (1987) earning the honor.?
3 @TheSunDevils @USGA U.S. Amateur champs: @MickelsonHat (1990), Billy Mayfair (1987) & @jquinney22 (2000) pic.twitter.com/WPgoiuBkSy
? ASUmensgolf (@asumensgolf) August 17, 2015The reigning Ben Hogan Player of the Year, is set to face Virginia junior Derek Bard in the quarterfinals Friday 11:00 a.m. MST. ????
FOX SPORTS 1 will provide coverage of the event 12-3 p.m. MST.