Zachar's U.S. Senior Amateur Run Ends in Quarterfinals
UPDATE (August 29, 2018) -- Ned Zachar's run in the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore., came to an end on Wednesday, as the 56-year-old dropped his quarterfinal match against Jeff Wilson of Fairfield, Calif., who was one of the week's co-medalists.
The Bedford, N.Y., resident fell five down in the early going. Though he claimed Nos. 9-10 with pars, Wilson responded with two wins of his own and added another on the 14th to close out the match.
Related: Scoring | U.S. Senior Amateur Home Page
From Zachar:
Dream ends against a buzz saw, Jeff Wilson who is in a class by himself this week. I played normal weekend golf today, which was not nearly enough against a guy who has a tour-quality game. Had a great run, almost out of clothes, and headed back to reality. It will be good to get back home though. We'll keep swinging!
UPDATE (August 29, 2018) -- Following a pair of thrilling victories on Tuesday, Ned Zachar of Bedford, N.Y., has advanced to the quarterfinal round in the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore. Below, Zachar recounts his pair of victories over Buddy Marucci and Gene Elliott. Zachar faces co-medalist Jeff Wilson of Fairfield, Calif., beginning play at 10:45 a.m. EDT.
Related: Scoring | U.S. Senior Amateur Home Page
Where to begin. It was quite a day.
Got up early on Buddy Marucci and then he won four holes in a six-hole stretch. I won three in a row beginning on No. 14 before a serious good on 17 (fat wedge) let him square the match. We were both playing pretty good golf around par or so. And then, after 17 holes, the drama began.
We both hit good drives on 18 and i hit a rescue long right, playable but not great. Buddy hits 18 feet right of the hole, but on a ridge. I pitch long (grass grabbed the heel) and am 45 feet below the hole and need to hole the putt to stay in the match. I make the double-breaking bomb to post a 4 and Buddy now has to two-putt to stay in it. It was good. Stunned, he slides it six feet by, makes and we go on to extra holes.
A perfect drive and 8-iron to 20 feet below the hole, while Buddy snipes an iron in to the bunker left and can't get up and down. Beat the guy who almost beat Tiger. The momentum swings were big.
So, now on to an old rival, really good guy and great player, world No. 1 ranked senior amateur player Gene Elliott of West Des Moines, Iowa. We both played very good golf and i ended up -3 on the day with a pretty dramatic come-from-behind victory that possibly had Gene shaking his head. He got up early with some amazing putting including a terrific up-and-down on 7 for a bogey-four after rinsing his tee shot.
No cracks in his game. He was in complete control. He nearly makes eagle on 8 despite his second shot hitting a tree and basically keeping it from running through the green. Instead, it finishes 12 feet from the hole and he two-putts for birdie. He makes another birdie on the short 10th (tees way up) and I go three down.
Jason, my caddie who did a fabulous job again, implores me to get going and I tell him, "We gotta let this come to us, you can't force it." I've seen it a million times when I get up on someone and they start pressing, making mistakes and beating themselves.
So, I hit a terrific, cutting 5-iron on 12 to 10 feet and make a birdie.
Gene makes a 15-footer for par on the par-5 13th and I make a 12-footer for birdie on top of his after stuffing a wedge.
I then bury a 15-footer for birdie on 14 following a good drive and 8 iron. Everything is jumping 20 feet on the firm greens, even with a wedge. Three in a row--we are letting it come to us.
Good fours for both on the difficult 15th.
I misplay a 60-yard wedge on the curvy par-5 16th, leaving me 60 feet for birdie and fan the putt 12 feet short. Terrible. Gene two-putts for par, but I MAKE the par putt, dead center.
I hit a nice cut drive on the tricky 17th and wedge just over. Gene is in trouble left, hits a sprinkler box and it bounces in the middle of the fairway 60 yards away and he pitches to 8 feet. He misses. I get down in two from the fring and am now 1-up after being behind all afternoon.
I drive well on 18, hitting a little long and right, but on the green above the ridge. Gene hits a great drive, skips an 8-iron 40 feet past and cozies his putt down the same ridge to 8 feet. I barely hit my putt, it rolls down the ridge to 8' 1" so it's still my play. I make the right-to-left putt (same line as the morning against Buddy) to close the deal.
UPDATE (August 28, 2018) -- It took 20 holes, but Ned Zachar of Bedford, N.Y., advanced from his Round of 64 match, Monday in the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore. This is Zachar's second straight year winning a match at the event.
Related: Scoring | U.S. Senior Amateur Home Page
Facing John Lombardozzi of Herndon, Va., Zachar built a 2-up advantage through six holes. The two traded Nos. 9 and 10, but Lombardozzi birdied the closing two holes to send the match to extras. After halving with bogeys on the par-four 1st, Zachar found the green on the length par-three 2nd, nestling a 30-footer inside two feet. Lombardozzi, having missed the green, pitched to 15 feet and failed to make his par look, earning Zachar the win. In the Round of 32, Zachar will square off against Buddy Marucci of Villanova, Pa., at 12:12 p.m. EDT.
Jay Blumenfeld of Parsippany, N.J., dropped his match, 4-and-2 to Tim Jackson, while Jay Sessa of Garden City, N.Y., fell 3-and-1 to Michael Rowley of San Luis Obispo, Calif.
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (August 27, 2018) -- Following 36 holes of stroke play qualifying, the Met Area's Jay Blumenfeld, Jay Sessa, and Ned Zachar all advanced to match play in the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, Ore. One round of match play is slated for Monday.
Related: Scoring | U.S. Senior Amateur Home Page
Both Blumenfeld of Parsippany, N.J., and Zachar of Bedford, N.Y., led the Met Area representatives, carding 4-over 148s to tie for 17th in on-site qualifying. Sessa of Garden City, N.Y., opened with a 75 and closed strong on day two with a 72 for a 5-over 149.
Blumenfeld, the reigning MGA Senior Masters champion and also a two-time MGA Senior Amateur winner, posted rounds of 73-75. He begins match play at 4:14 p.m. EDT against Tim Jackson of Memphis, Tenn.
"I hit the ball on the button all day long, much better than the last 2-3 rounds, especially with the irons," said Zachar of his opening round 75. He improved upon that on day two with a 73 and faces John Lombardozzi of Herndon, Va., at 3:26 p.m. EDT in the Round of 64.
Sessa opens match play against Michael Rowley of San Luis Obispo, Calif., at 3:02 p.m. EDT.