Moore, 2002 Champion; Rose, 2003 Runner-up, In Semifinals

Maple Grove, Minn. – Ryan Moore of Puyallup, Wash., the 2002 champion, and 2003 runner-up Dayton Rose of Midwest City, Okla., advanced to the semifinal round of match play Friday at the 2004 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at Rush Creek Golf Club.

Sunghoon Kang, the youngest player left at 17, pumps in a putt. (Steven Gibbons/USGA)

Moore, 21, who did not trail in the match, made five birdies and one bogey in defeating Clay Ogden, 19, of West Point, Utah, 2 and 1.

“Sometimes you do it different ways,” said Moore, who won the 2004 NCAA individual title and was a member of the 2003 USA Walker Cup squad. “I was solid this morning. He had a heck of a comeback and starting a lot fighting at the end. I just tried to stay basic and hit solid shots.”

Moore's semifinal opponent will be Sunghoon Kang, 17, the youngest remaining player, who defeated Dirk Fennie of Greensboro, N.C., 4 and 3. Kang, of Korea, was the medalist at the 2003 Junior Amateur.

In the other quarterfinal matches, Rose went to 19 holes to defeat William Moore, 34, of Pacific Grove, Calif. He will face Evan Frederick, 21, of Destin, Fla., who defeated Will Claxton, 22, of Swainsboro, Ga., 1 up.

Moore, the UNLV senior-to-be, took a 4-up lead with a birdie on the par-5 10th and retained his lead despite two winning birdies from Ogden on holes 15 and 16.

“The putter was rolling great (Friday),” said Moore . “It kind of cooled down on the back side but I didn't have as many good opportunities. I wasn't giving it to him, that's for sure.”

In match play, Moore has posted 21 birdies, with four bogeys.

All semifinalists and quarterfinalists are exempt from qualifying for the 2005 Championship at Shaker Run Golf Club in Lebanon, Ohio. The winners of the semifinal round are also exempt for the 2004 U.S. Amateur in August.

Dayton Rose is looking to make two consecutive trips to the Public Links final. (Steven Gibbons/USGA)

The championship concludes Saturday with the 36-hole final. Round one of the championship match begins at 7:30 a.m. and round two at 12:15 p.m. The champion receives a gold medal and custody, for the ensuing year, of the James D. Standish Jr Cup, an exemption into the 2004 U.S. Amateur and, historically, an invitation to play at the next Masters Tournament, if still an amateur.

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.

Results

Maple Grove, Minn. – Results from Friday's quarterfinal round of match play at the 2004 U.S. Amateur Public Links played at Rush Creek Golf Club (7,132 yards, par 72:

Evan Frederick, Destin, Fla. (145) def. Will Claxton, Swainsboro, Ga. (142), 1 up

Dayton Rose, Midwest City, Okla. (147) def. William Moore, Pacific Grove, Calif. (146), 19 holes

Ryan Moore, Puyallup, Wash. (132) def. Clay Ogden, West Point, Utah (144), 2 and 1

Sunghoon Kang, Korea (140) def. Dirk Fennie, Greensboro, N.C. (144), 4 and 3

12:30 p.m. Frederick vs. Rose

12:45 p.m. R. Moore vs. Kang