Trio of Past Champions Advance to Quarters of Long Island Amateur
SAG HARBOR, N.Y. (June 15, 2021) -- Following the second day of the 98th Long Island Amateur Championship, the quarterfinalists are set thanks to the completion of the opening two rounds of match play, Tuesday, at Noyac. Wednesday's quarterfinal matchups include 2017 champion Garret Engel of Old Westbury against Sands Point's Derek Rogers, Sam O'Hara of Maidstone versus Tyler Gerbavsits of Huntington Crescent, a pair of Noyac members squaring off in 2016 champion Darin Goldstein and Ryan Barnett, and 2018 champion Colby Anderson of Nassau against Michael Auerbach of Bellport.
Related: Match Play Bracket
One of the most interesting matchups will be Goldstein and Barnett, as Goldstein will face his second straight Barnett. Goldstein bested Ryan's brother Brad in the round of 16, Tuesday afternoon. Ryan spoke highly of Goldstein ahead of their Wednesday matchup. "Darin is a friend, clearly a great player, and is playing really well right now," he said. "I lost to him at the Havemeyer earlier this year. I didn't play my best and I think he was 6-under through 14 but that's why you play the game." Barnett used a pair of victories in 19 holes to advance, ousting yet another Noyac member in Ben Mitchell and James Alden of Indian Hills.
Meanwhile, Gerbavsits, who competes collegiately at St. John's, advanced to match play after four playoff holes Monday and continued the theme Tuesday, needing extra holes to defeat Huntington Country Club's Patrick Healey in the opening round. "I had a lot of practice in those playoffs yesterday, which pushed me through today," said Gerbavsits. "I just kept my head in there, kept calm. I was down a lot in the first match and caught fire with the putter and now we're here." Gerbavsits will match up against 2020 Long Island Junior and Long Island Boys champion O'Hara who defeated Bryan Ruland of Rockville Links and reigning LIGA Senior Player of the Year Dave Scialabba of Meadow Brook in his two rounds of match play.
The day ended in dramatic fashion with the matchup between Nassau members Anderson and Liam Jachetta. Jachetta made a late comeback to push the match even and force an extra hole, but Anderson bested Jachetta on the 19th hole to advance to the quarterfinals. "At the start of the round I was exhausted," said Anderson. "I told Andrew my caddie that I thought I was gonna pass out on the 7th hole so I was struggling all day just to stay in it mentally. On 16 Liam had a nice up and down and I ended up in a bad spot off the tee. He made a good birdie on 17 and coming into 18 my head was all over the map, but I was just trying to hang in there." Anderson will face Auerbach in the quarterfinals on Wednesday after Auerbach logged wins over Rex Riefler of Maidstone and MGA eClub - Long Island member Billy Greenlee.
The quarter finals begin at 7:30 a.m., Wednesday morning.