Moore, Williamson Meet In Amateur Public Links Final

Washington, Mich. – Ryan Moore and Lee Williamson will meet in the final of the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship following their semifinal wins on Friday.

Moore, 19, and Williamson, 23, will play 36-holes of match play Saturday over the 7001-yard, par-72 Orchards Golf Club to determine a national champion and compete for an invitation to the Masters.

Moore, who hails from Puyallup, Wash., is no stranger to a USGA championship final. He was the runner-up as a 17 year old in the 2000 U.S. Junior Amateur. Moore’s steely play Friday was the difference in his 3 and 2 victory over Chris Stroud of Groves, Texas.

“I didn’t make a bogey the entire day," said Moore. "I made 12 birdies (in two rounds) and not making bogeys wears a guy out eventually. I missed only two fairways all day. I know just being in the position and having the experience in a final helps me.”

Moore is still riding high after an amazing experience earlier in the summer when the UNLV sophomore qualified for and played in the 2002 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black. While he missed the cut, the Open definitely left its mark.

“Coming from Bethpage I just don’t think any course in the world can look hard to me anymore,” said Moore. “You hold your arms out and that’s where the fairways are. If you miss that you’re in the weeds.”

Throughout this championship Moore’s ball striking has never been in doubt. His 357-yard drive and 2-iron approach that landed squarely on the green of the 607-yard par-5 11th hole was a testament to that. However, it has been his work with the flat stick that, until today, has caused Moore fits.

“My putting, well, it showed up,” said Moore. “A little tip my dad gave me last night on the phone did the trick. He said I should try to change my ball position a little bit. I made a 30-footer on the first hole this morning and I was off from there.”

While Moore’s putting sealed the match when he hit a sliding 10-footer for birdie on the 16th hole to close out Stroud, it was a good-luck charm that showed up halfway through his morning round that may have proved the difference.

“On the 11th hole (in the morning) I was walking off the tee, and this guy in the crowd said, ‘Hey, you don’t have a caddy, what’s up with that? I’ll carry for you.’ I said, ‘Sure,’ and from there I went 4-under. I’ve been 9-under since then,” said Moore.

The “guy” that picked up Moore’s bag was 30-year old Mark Soldan, of neighboring Macomb Township, Mich. Soldan was off work from his job on the assembly line at the local Ford Motor Co. plant. He had come out to watch the championship when he noticed Moore didn’t have a caddie carrying his clubs in the humid and hazy conditions.

“I live in the area and play here at The Orchards a lot,” said Soldan. “I noticed he was carrying his bag, so I offered to help out. The only thing I charge is a trip to Augusta.”

Soldan took time off work at Ford Motor Co. to carry Moore’s bag in the semifinal round.

Williamson, the Big-10 Player of the Year and 1st Team All-American from Purdue, rolled to a 5 and 4 victory over Brady Stockton of San Ramon, Calif. He ended the match emphatically with a 30-foot birdie putt from just off the green at the 194-yard par 3 14th hole.

Williamson has been absolutely dominant in his matches all week. Very rarely have any of his contests gone past the 16th hole at The Orchards.

“I haven’t played the 18th hole since Tuesday (in qualifying) and that’s fine with me,” said Williamson. “It’ll be there tomorrow.”

The Palmer Cup team member arrived a day before the championship started fresh off the plane from Ireland. After competing for the U.S. team he was admittedly jet-lagged right before the start.

“I knew before I left for Ireland it was going to be a long month, and I told myself to be ready even if I didn’t feel like competing,” said Williamson. “But I’ve kept myself in a competitive mode.”

Williamson won the Indiana State Amateur for the second straight year earlier in the summer and said that, given his recent play, he’s not at all surprised with the position he now finds himself in.

“This summer I set the highest expectations for all the tournaments I’m in. I feel like I won’t enter a tournament I can’t win. I’ve been on a mission this week,” said Williamson.

Play concludes Saturday with a 36-hole final at The Orchards Golf Club. The winner receives an invitation to next year’s Masters tournament. Both finalists receive exemptions into next month’s U.S. Amateur Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

The U.S. Amateur Public Links is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.

Story written by David Normoyle, USGA.

Results

Washington, Mich. - Results from the semifinal round of match play at the 7,001-yard, par-72 Orchards Golf Club

Semifinal Round
Lee Williamson, Crawfordsville, Ind. (137) def. Brady Stockton, San Ramon, Calif. (138), 5 and 4
Ryan Moore, Puyallup, Wash. (142) def. Chris Stroud, Groves, Texas (142), 3 and 2

Pairings

Washington, Mich. - Pairings for the 36-hole final round of match play at the 2002 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship (all times are EDT)

Final Round

7:30 a.m. - Lee Williamson, Crawfordsville, Ind. (137) vs. Ryan Moore, Puyallup, Wash. (142)
12:30 p.m. - Lee Williamson, Crawfordsville, Ind. (137) vs. Ryan Moore, Puyallup, Wash. (142)