NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – A week after being forced to withdraw from the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship with gastroenteritis, Alan Fadel, 59, of Toledo, Ohio, shot a 5-under-par 67 on Sunday for a 36-hole total of 7-under 137 to earn medalist honors in the 2014 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, being conducted at the par-72, 6,770-yard Big Canyon Country Club.
Fadel, who required IV fluids and a trip to the hospital last week, almost didn’t make the trip to Newport Beach.
My wife was apprehensive about coming out here, said Fadel. I had another attack on Tuesday. It only lasted an hour-and-a-half and that’s when we knew it was a viral thing. I watched what I ate. Today is the first time I have had lunch before I played.
Hesitation about his health aside, Fadel is glad he made the trip.
Fadel who carded 14 birdies and seven bogeys in 36 holes of stroke play, has plenty of experience and familiarity with the field in the Round of 64.
I have played against a lot of these guys quite often and I have a lot of respect for a lot of them, said Fadel. There are some guys like Vinny (Giles, a two-time USGA champion) who are in their 70s and you just don’t know. I am just happy to be here.
The cut came at 5-over 149, with a 15-for-13 playoff to determine the final match-play berths. The playoff will start at 7:15 a.m. PDT on Monday.
The U.S. Senior Amateur consists of 36 holes of stroke play, after which the field will be reduced to the low 64 scorers for match play. Six match-play rounds will determine the champion, with the 18-hole final set for Thursday at 8:30 a.m. PDT.
Earning medalist honors has already made the week a success for Fadel, who works as a financial advisor.
It is a dream come true to do anything at a USGA event, he said. I have been playing in USGA events since I was a kid. This is very special to me.
I want to continue to play the way I have been playing, said Fadel. This is a lot of fun. I do have confidence right now. When you have confidence, sometimes good things happen.
Saturday’s first-round leader and two-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, Tim Jackson, 55, of Germantown, Tenn., shot even-par 72 on Sunday to finish as runner-up, one stroke back. Jackson started the day on the inward nine and carded bogeys on Nos. 10 and 11 before rebounding for birdies on Nos. 1 and 2.
You get through this piece of it and tournament starts tomorrow, said Jackson. There are a lot of good players in the field and this golf course, you can birdie all of these holes and you can make bogeys on them. It’s going to be a good match-play course.
Tom Brandes, 58, of Bellevue, Wash., and Chris Hall, 56, of Mableton, Ga., rebounded from 1-over-par 73s on Saturday to shoot 6-under 66s on Sunday to finish at 5-under 139.
Longtime friends Chip Lutz, 59, of Reading, Pa., and David Nelson, 58, of Reno, Nev., were paired together and served as mutual inspiration on their way to finishing tied with Scott Mayne, 55, of Harrisburg, Pa., at 4-under.
It is always nice when you are playing with someone and you have a good comfort level, said Nelson. You are pulling for them and they are doing the same. You know it’s genuine.
The U.S. Senior Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
Notables who failed to qualify for match play included 2008 champion George Buddy Marucci, past Walker Cup competitors Duke Delcher and Mike Peck, 2014 British Seniors champion Brady Exber, 2013 semifinalist Buzz Fly, and Senior Amateur runners-up Frank Abbott (2003), Philip Pleat (2011) and Curtis Skinner (2012).
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Results from Sunday’s second and final round of stroke-play qualifying at the 2014 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, being conducted at the 6,770-yard, par-72 Big Canyon Country Club. (#-Denotes golfers in 15-for-13 playoff on Monday)
Alan Fadel, Toledo, Ohio - 70-67—137
Tim Jackson, Germantown, Tenn. - 66-72—138
Chris Hall, Mableton, Ga. - 73-66—139
Tom Brandes, Bellevue, Wash. - 73-66—139
Chip Lutz, Reading, Pa. - 68-72—140
David Nelson, Reno, Nev. - 69-71—140
Scott Mayne, Harrisburg, Pa. - 68-72—140
John Hornbeck, Saratoga, Wyo. - 73-68—141
John McClure, Austin, Texas - 72-69—141
Bryan Norton, Mission Hills, Kan. - 72-69—141
Raymond Thompson, Drexel Hill, Pa. - 72-69—141
Bob Baker, Little Rock, Ark. - 68-74—142
Vinny Giles, Richmond, Va. - 70-73—143
Kelly Miller, Southern Pines, N.C. - 72-71—143
Emile Vaughan, Pike Road, Ala. - 73-71—144
Don Reycroft, Norfolk, Mass. - 73-71—144
David Szewczul, Farmington, Conn. - 72-72—144
Douglas Hanzel, Savannah, Ga. - 72-73—145
Jeff New, Scottsdale, Ariz. - 73-72—145
Michael Turner, Sherman Oaks, Calif. - 75-70—145
Ron Carter, Monticello, Ind. - 72-73—145
David Clement, Henderson, Ky. - 77-68—145
Jack Hall, Savannah, Ga. - 70-76—146
Peter Herzog, Norwalk, Conn. - 72-74—146
Neil Vanleeuwen, Tarpon Springs, Fla. - 71-75—146
Todd Hendley, Greer, S.C. - 73-73—146
Mike Davis, Laguna Niguel, Calif. - 74-72—146
Adam Kugler, Closter, N.J. - 74-72—146
Doug Roxburgh, Canada - 74-72—146
Tim Sorrows, Liberty Twp., Ohio - 73-74—147
Mike Rice, Houston, Texas - 76-71—147
Rick Cloninger, Fort Mill, S.C. - 73-74—147
Kemp Richardson, Laguna Niguel, Calif. - 69-78—147
Randal Lewis, Alma, Mich. - 73-74—147
Allan Small, Florham Park, N.J. - 72-75—147
Jeff Burda, Modesto, Calif. - 75-72—147
Conrad Nilmeier, Fresno, Calif. - 71-76—147
Randy Haag, San Francisco, Calif. - 71-77—148
Gary Carpendale, Las Vegas, Nev. - 69-79—148
Frank Dial, Auburn, Ala. - 74-74—148
Stewart Alexander, Gainesville, Fla. - 73-75—148
Alan Thielemann, Woodstock, Ga. - 72-76—148
Don Dubois, Newport Beach, Calif. - 75-73—148
Richard Marlowe, Youngstown, Ohio - 74-74—148
Don Marsh, Alpharetta, Ga. - 76-72—148
Mark Nickeas, Westlake Village, Calif. - 73-75—148
Ted Zurkowski, Chicago, Ill. - 76-72—148
Mark Bemowski, Mukwonago, Wis. - 78-70—148
Peter Wegmann, Ft Lauderdale, Fla. - 73-75—148
Steven Poulson, North Salt Lake, Utah - 74-74—148
Doug Snoap, Apopka, Fla. - 75-73—148
#-Mike Bell, Indianapolis, Ind. - 77-72—149 (3)
#-James Gallagher, Yorktown, Va. - 68-81—149 (4)
#-Jerry Hudgins, Tyler, Texas - 79-70—149 (4)
#-Randy Reifers, Columbus, Ohio - 71-78--149 (4)
#-Kenneth Bakst, Riverhead, N.Y. - 78-71—149 (4)
#-Jim Knoll, Sunnyvale, Calif. - 75-74—149 (5,4)
#-Patrick Tallent, Vienna, Va. - 79-70—149 (5,5)
#-Pat O'Donnell, Happy Valley, Ore. - 73-76—149 (5,5)
#-Lee Sandlin, Dallas, Texas - 76-73—149 (5,4)
#-Jim Lehman, Minnetonka, Minn. - 73-76—149 (5,4)
#-Stephen Fox, Huntington, W.Va. - 72-77—149 (5,5)
#-Paul Zarek, Burlington, Wis. - 75-74—149 (5,5)
#-Gary Van Sickle, Wexford, Pa. - 74-75—149 (5,5)
Failed To Qualify
#-Michael Hughett, Owasso, Okla. - 71-78—149 (6)
#-Jim McNelis, Gig Harbor, Wash. - 74-75—149 (5,7)
Larry Silvestri, Lincolnshire, Ill. - 71-79—150
John Anderson, Andover, Minn. - 75-75—150
Matthew Horwitch, Northbrook, Ill. - 76-74—150
Jim Quinn, Arlington, Texas - 75-75—150
Bill Argus, Fort Wayne, Ind. - 73-77—150
Duke Delcher, Bluffton, S.C. - 74-76—150
Ronald Laverdiere, Amherst, Mass. - 78-72—150
Robert Shelton, Lafayette, La. - 72-79—151
Ken Palladino, Dunedin, Fla. - 75-76—151
Donny Phillips, Suwanee, Ga. - 78-73—151
George Marucci Jr, Villanova, Pa. - 73-78—151
James Stormont, Atlanta, Ga. - 73-78—151
Marcus Beck, Tallahassee, Fla. - 74-77—151
Trip Boinest, Shelby, N.C. - 73-78—151
Gary Robinson, Fayetteville, N.C. - 75-76—151
Derek Waddington, Trinity, Fla. - 81-70—151
Curtis Skinner, Lake Bluff, Ill. - 76-75—151
Mitch Wilson, Portage, Mich. - 76-75—151
Michael McCarthy, Bethesda, Md. - 73-78—151
Gregg Guernsey, Vancouver, Wash. - 74-78—152
Mike Peck, Irving, Texas - 74-78—152
Roc Irey, Furlong, Pa. - 78-74—152
James Harless, Aurora, Ohio - 77-75—152
Bruce Hanavan, San Anselmo, Calif. - 77-75—152
Thomas Beach, Marana, Ariz. - 76-76—152
Skip Zobel, Virginia Beach, Va. - 74-78—152
Scott Edwards, St Louis, Mo. - 74-78—152
John Gibbs, Augusta, Ga. - 75-77—152
Randall Mahar, Portland, Ore. - 75-77—152
Ben Brundred, Potomac, Md. - 76-76—152
Rick Woulfe, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. - 78-74—152
Craig Rumora, Katy, Texas - 76-76—152
Brady Exber, Las Vegas, Nev. - 77-76—153
Bob Munoz, Chandler, Ariz. - 77-76—153
Chris Wilmot, Orlando, Fla. - 79-74—153
Patrick Murphy, Provo, Utah - 77-76—153
Frank Abbott, Las Vegas, Nev. - 77-76—153
Jack Kearney, Peachtree City, Ga. - 73-80—153
Jim Seymour, Bakersfield, Calif. - 77-77—154
Mark Rallas, Leeburg, Va. - 77-77—154
Gus Sylvan, Columbia, S.C. - 77-77—154
Mike Cassell, Hudson, Ohio - 77-77—154
Willard Richart, Saline, Mich. - 80-74—154
Edward Steiber, Cincinnati, Ohio - 76-78—154
Rusty Brown, Phoenix, Ariz. - 76-78—154
Thomas Destefani, Western Springs, Ill. - 79-75—154
Don Russell, Atlanta, Ga. - 75-79—154
Vance Antoniou, North Barrington, Ill. - 74-80—154
Buzz Fly, Memphis, Tenn. - 77-78—155
Tommy Reynolds, Sioux Falls, S.D. - 79-76—155
Mike Root, Omaha, Neb. - 76-79—155
Randy Vautravers, Andover, Kan. - 78-77—155
David Delich, Colorado Springs, Colo. - 79-76—155
Sean McAvoy, Johns Island, S.C. - 77-78—155
Spike Smith, Pinehurst, N.C. - 77-78—155
Christopher Clauson, Philadelphia, Pa. - 79-76—155
Dave Ryan, Taylorville, Ill. - 75-81—156
Mickey Jones, Odessa, Texas - 81-75—156
Cy Kilgore, Peabody, Mass. - 73-83—156
Philip Pleat, Nashua, N.H. - 78-78—156
David Griffin, Belden, Miss. - 84-73—157
Don Erickson III, Dubois, Pa. - 78-79—157
Thomas Scheuerman, Pewee Valley, Ky. - 81-76—157
Mark Nickerson, Roswell, Ga. - 76-81—157
Harry Johnson, Edwards, Colo. - 76-81—157
Bill Brammer, Rancho Santa Fe, Calif. - 79-78—157
Don Blanton, Selma, Ala. - 78-79—157
Joseph Russo, Sewell, N.J. - 78-79—157
John Pigg, Austin, Texas - 81-76—157
Eugenio Nava, Mexico - 79-79—158
Cyrus Whitney, Oro Valley, Ariz. - 79-79—158
Bruce Belcoure, Las Vegas, Nev. - 80-78—158
John Benson, Punxsutawney, Pa. - 80-78—158
Keith Whitehead, Temecula, Calif. - 84-75—159
Jim Hosey, Chicopee, Mass. - 85-74—159
Richard Hageman, San Antonio, Texas - 78-81—159
John Schaller, Scottsdale, Ariz. - 78-81—159
Bev Hargraves, Helena, Ark. - 78-81—159
George Pirie, Warwick, R.I. - 81-78—159
Rick Turner, Houston, Texas - 81-79—160
Mel Collins Jr., Long Beach, Calif. - 79-82—161
Bob Bret, Dallas, Texas - 82-79—161
John Lindholm, Grand Blanc, Mich. - 78-83—161
William Hadden, Manchester Village, Vt. - 85-77—162
Thomas Hyland, Marlton, N.J. - 79-84—163
Craig Hardcastle, St. Louis, Mo. - 79-84—163
Michael Staskus, Los Altos, Calif. - 79-84—163
Bill Hood, Beaverton, Ore. - 80-90—170
Clive Kegel, Lahaina, Hawaii - 86-DQ—DQ
NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. – Pairings and starting times for Monday’s first round of match play at the 2014 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, being conducted at the 6,770-yard, par-72 Big Canyon Country Club. (All times PDT).
Round of 64
Upper Bracket
1:25 p.m.: Alan Fadel, Toledo, Ohio (137) vs. Stephen Fox, Huntington, W.Va. (149)
8:15 a.m.: Rick Cloninger, Fort Mill, S.C. (147) vs. Kemp Richardson, Laguna Niguel, Calif. (147)
8:25 a.m.: Don Reycroft, Norfolk, Mass. (144) vs. Doug Snoap, Apopka, Fla. (148)
8:35 a.m.: David Szewczul, Farmington, Conn. (144) vs. Don Marsh, Alpharetta, Ga. (148)
12:15 p.m.: John Hornbeck, Saratoga, Wyo. (141) vs. Jim Knoll, Sunnyvale, Calif. (149)
8:45 a.m.: Adam Kugler, Closter, N.J. (146) vs. Frank Dial, Auburn, Ala. (148)
12:05 p.m.: John McClure, Austin, Texas (141) vs. James Gallagher, Yorktown, Va. (149)
8:55 a.m.: Peter Herzog, Norwalk, Conn. (146) vs. Stewart Alexander, Gainesville, Fla. (148)
12:55 p.m.: Tom Brandes, Bellevue, Wash. (139) vs. Pat O'Donnell, Happy Valley, Ore.
9:05 a.m.: Doug Roxburgh, Canada (146) vs. Jeff Burda, Modesto, Calif. (147)
11:25 a.m.: Vinny Giles, Richmond, Va. (143) vs. Mike Bell, Indianapolis, Ind. (149)
9:15 a.m.: Michael Turner, Sherman Oaks, Calif. (145) vs. Mark Bemowski, Mukwonago, Wis. (148)
12:45 p.m.: Chip Lutz, Reading, Pa. (140) vs. Patrick Tallent, Vienna, Va. (149)
9:25 a.m.: Mike Davis, Laguna Niguel, Calif. (146) vs. Conrad Nilmeier, Fresno, Calif. (147)
11:35 a.m.: Bob Baker, Little Rock, Ark. (142) vs. Kenneth Bakst, Riverhead, N.Y. (149)
9:35 a.m.: Ron Carter, Monticello, Ind. (145) vs. Richard Marlowe, Youngstown, Ohio (148)
Lower Bracket
1:15 p.m.: Tim Jackson, Germantown, Tenn. (138) vs. Gary Van Sickle, Wexford, Pa. (149)
9:45 a.m.: Mike Rice, Houston, Texas (147) vs. Randal Lewis, Alma, Mich. (147)
9:55 a.m.: Emile Vaughan, Pike Road, Ala. (144) vs. Mark Nickeas, Westlake Village, Calif. (148)
10:05 a.m.: Douglas Hanzel, Savannah, Ga. (145) vs. Steven Poulson, North Salt Lake, Utah (148)
12:25 p.m.: Scott Mayne, Harrisburg, Pa. (140) vs. Lee Sandlin, Dallas, Texas (149)
10:15 a.m.: Neil Vanleeuwen, Tarpon Springs, Fla. (146) vs. Gary Carpendale, Las Vegas, Nev. (148)
11:55 a.m.: Raymond Thompson, Drexel Hill, Pa. (141) vs. Jerry Hudgins, Tyler, Texas (149)
10:25 a.m.: Jack Hall, Savannah, Ga. (146) vs. Alan Thielemann, Woodstock, Ga. (148)
1:05 p.m.: Chris Hall, Mableton, Ga. (139) vs. Paul Zarek, Burlington, Wis. (149)
10:35 a.m.: Tim Sorrows, Liberty Twp., Ohio (147) vs. Allan Small, Florham Park, N.J. (147)
10:45 a.m.: Kelly Miller, Southern Pines, N.C. (143) vs. Ted Zurkowski, Chicago, Ill. (148)
10:55 a.m.: Jeff New, Scottsdale, Ariz. (145) vs. Peter Wegmann, Ft Lauderdale, Fla. (148)
12:35 p.m.: David Nelson, Reno, Nev. (140) vs. Jim Lehman, Minnetonka, Minn. (149)
11:05 a.m.: Todd Hendley, Greer, S.C. (146) vs. Randy Haag, San Francisco, Calif. (148)
11:45 a.m.: Bryan Norton, Mission Hills, Kan. (141) vs. Randy Reifers, Columbus, Ohio
11:15 a.m.: David Clement, Henderson, Ky. (145) vs. Don Dubois, Newport Beach, Calif. (148)