We are now down to 32 competitors at the 2011 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and by the end of today, there will be just eight golfers remaining. Such is the nature of a match-play event. The weather for today looks good. Much like yesterday, winds should be moderate at 10-15 mph, perhaps gusting to 15 to 20 mph by late in the afternoon. The APL competitors will be at Old Macdonald today. After today, all matches (WAPL and APL) will be at Old Macdonald.
There are some intriguing second-round match-ups beginning with the first match off at 7:30 a.m. PDT featuring stroke-play medalist Corbin Mills against reigning NCAA Division I champion John Peterson. Peterson is certainly on the Walker Cup radar and a strong showing this week will help his resume. Mills is competing in just his third USGA championship, but this is the first time he has qualified for match play.
A couple of mid-amateurs (25 and older) have advanced. T.J. Shuart, 28, of Coral Springs, Fla., will play one of the youngest remaining players, 19-year-old Talor Gooch of Midwest City, Okla. Another match-up features 29-year-old Herbie Aikens of Pembroke, Mass., against Paul McConnell, 20, of Garland, Texas.
The oldest remaining player, 38-year-old Scott Kammann of Baneberry, Tenn., meets USA Walker Cup hopeful Harris English, 21, of Thomasville, Ga. English was a 2010 APL quarterfinalist and has been a standout at the University of Georgia. Georgia was the NCAA Division I runner-up this year.
Harold Varner III, bidding to become just the second African-American to win the APL, meets Alex Edfort.
The youngest remaining player, 18-year-old Kevin Lee of Cerritos, Calif., takes on Robert Hoadley, 20, of Southern Pines, N.C.
And the caddies at Bandon Dunes certainly will be rooting for one of their brethren, Kevin Rei of Chico, Calif. He meets Todd Baek of San Diego, Calif.
Another interesting storyline is Alex Williams, a 24-year-old assistant golf coach at Army. Williams graduated from Oregon State, so he should have a following here at Bandon Dunes. -- David Shefter