Blades Brown acquired to fulfill Tiger Woods earlier this week at Oakland Hills, briefly chatting and taking a photograph with the three-time U.S. Junior Newbie champion who was watching his son, Charlie, compete in his first USGA championship.
A day later Brown joined Woods in an unique membership.
Brown fired a 2-under 68 on the harder South Course to complete at 6 underneath and seize medalist honors by a shot over fellow U.S. Nationwide Workforce member Tyler Watts. Brown, a rising high-school junior from Nashville, Tennessee, is now simply the third participant, together with Woods and Bobby Clampett, to be medalist at each the U.S. Junior and U.S. Newbie (he achieved the latter feat final summer time at Cherry Hills).
“It offers me a lot momentum and gasoline and confidence,” Brown mentioned. “However in match play something can occur. I’m wanting ahead to it.”
As the highest seed, Brown attracts Alex Huang, who acquired by means of a 13-for-9 playoff on Wednesday morning.
In all, 14 of the highest 30 gamers within the AJGA rankings superior to match play, together with No. 1 Miles Russell and fellow top-10 juniors Watts and Luke Colton. Whereas Charlie Woods shot 22 over and beat simply 17 gamers within the 262-player discipline, each of Woods’ enjoying rivals certified for the knockout stage – Davis Ovard, a rising Baylor sophomore who gained the North and South Newbie a number of weeks in the past, and Alabama commit Chase Kyes. And a PGA Tour professional’s son did advance in any case – Luke Gutschewski, whose dad, Scott, at present performs on Tour.
“The primary three holes yesterday I used to be fairly nervous,” Kyes mentioned. “I’ve by no means performed in entrance of a crowd like that earlier than. … The gang was near the identical right now because it was yesterday. As soon as the rain got here, a number of folks left, nevertheless it was an amazing expertise. Good for the long run.”
