It's no secret Paul Simson loves stroke-play competitions. The Raleigh, N.C., resident won the Canadian Senior Amateur title this year by a whopping 15 strokes. He also won the British Senior Amateur and helped North Carolina tie for second at the USGA Men's State Team Championship. And he's been a past stroke-play medalist at the USGA Senior Amateur and U.S. Mid-Amateur.
But to win a first USGA amateur title, Simson knows he's going to have to produce six consecutive match-play wins, something he has not been able to accomplish during his long decorated career.
"In match play, there's a lot of luck involved because you can't play six really, really good rounds [in a row]," said Simson, after carding a 3-under-par 69 on Sunday at Lake Nona for a 36-hole stroke-play-qualifying total of 3-under 141.
Simson would love to take the 141 and play two more stroke-play rounds to determine the champion.
Unfortunately for him, that's not the way the USGA crowns its amateur champions.
"It could be a good week for anybody," said Simson. "All you have to do is make the cut. Everybody's equal starting [on Monday]. You just do the best you can and see what happens." -- David Shefter