Bremerton, Wash. – Beau Hossler still isn’t thrilled with how he’s driving the ball off the tee at the 2011 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship. But he is definitely happy with his scores.
The 16-year-old Hossler, of Mission Viejo, Calif., followed up his first-round 68 with a 5-under 67 during Tuesday’s second round of stroke-play qualifying at the par-72, 7,111-yard Olympic Course at Gold Mountain Golf Club. The 36-hole total of 135 gave him a three-stroke lead for medalist honors midway through the second round.
I’ve got to work on my driving, said Hossler, whose only bogey over the first two rounds came at his first hole on Monday, the par-4 10th.. Not because I’m hitting bad shots, but because the confidence just isn’t there. I’ve gotten away with a lot of iffy tee shots, but my irons and consistency overall has been really good, and that’s helped me to keep away the bogeys.
Hossler played in last month’s U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md., , but is playing in his first U.S. Junior Amateur. He admits to being somewhat of a novice when it comes to match play – he’s only played in one match-play event and lost in the first round – but his approach for the format is simple.
You go out there and try to make the most birdies you can, said Hossler. I feel like maybe the best thing I have going for me in match play is my short game right now, because I’m not making a lot of bogeys and I’m assuming the guy I’m playing against is going to make a few bogeys at least. So if I can keep the bogeys away and start firing at some pins and make some birdies, I definitely like my chances to get far in this tournament.
Will Starke, 17, of Chapin, S.C., who shared the first-round lead with Hossler, shot a second-round 1-under 71 and will easily advance to match play. Starke, who is playing in his first USGA championship, also has limited match-play experience but will employ a similarly simple strategy.
I’m not going to try to do anything different, said Starke, who is carrying his own bag. I’m just going to try to play my game and play the course. You can’t control what your opponent does.
Also making a run at medalist honors Tuesday was 2009 U.S. Junior Amateur champion Jordan Spieth, 17, of Dallas, Texas. Spieth followed up his first-round 72 with five birdies and one bogey en route to a 4-under 68.
It was just more consistent today, said Spieth. I hit more fairways and that was kind of the key. Given every hole where I missed the fairway, I made birdie. It was a very unconventional day, but I got the ball in the hole early.
Reigning champion Jim Liu, 15, of Smithtown, N.Y., rebounded from his first-round 78 with a 2-under 70 and will also advance to match play.
I hit more fairways and I definitely hit more greens, said Liu, who last year surpassed Tiger Woods as the youngest winner in the championship’s 64-year history. It was a lot easier for me.
After the second round of stroke play concludes Tuesday afternoon, the U.S. Junior Amateur field will be reduced to 64 players for match play. The first round of match play is scheduled for Wednesday, the second and third rounds will be played Thursday, the quarterfinal and semifinal matches will be played Friday, and the 36-hole championship final will be played Saturday.
The U.S. Junior Amateur is one of 13 championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association each year, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
Beth Murrison is a manager of championship communications for the USGA. For questions or comments, contact her at bmurrison@usga.org