Junior champion wins, medalist ousted

Thursday, Aug. 21, 1997 | 10:02 a.m.

U.S. Junior Amateur champion Jason Allred wasn't expecting to beat Walker Cup team member Buddy Marucci Jr. in the first round of match play in the U.S. Amateur at Lemont, Ill.

But that was the biggest of several upsets Wednesday on Cog Hill Golf and Country Club's Dubsdread course.

Terry Oloughlin of White Bear Lake, Minn., who survived a seven-hole playoff Tuesday to qualify for match play, knocked out medalist Roger Tambellini of Templeton, Calif., 3 and 2.

Former UNLV standout Gilberto Morales -- the last Southern Nevada representative in the field -- was eliminated by Charles Warren of Columbia, S.C., 3 and 1. UNLV senior Bill Lunde of Henderson and Brady Exber of Las Vegas were ousted on Tuesday.

Allred, a 17-year-old from Ashland, Ore., and the youngest player left in the field, won four straight holes on the front nine en route to victory over the 45-year-old Marucci, playing in his 18th U.S. Amateur.

Marucci, of Malvern, Pa., made two double-bogeys and two bogeys in that four-hole stretch as Allred took a 5-hole lead after seven holes.

"I was a little bit surprised, playing a person who was on the Walker Cup team," Allred said. "He was giving me a few gifts, but I'll take them.

"It was almost coming too easy. I may have relaxed after that."

Marucci rallied to take the match deep into the back nine before bogeying the 505-yard, par-5 15th. Allred made a par to close out the match 4 and 3 and advance to today's second round against Boomer Erick of Marco Island, Fla.

Oloughlin made it into match play despite bogeying two holes in the stroke-play playoff, which began with 22 players chasing 13 spots.

"It was a grind," the 28-year-old office-supply salesman said. "I got a little revenge because I got to match play, and anything can happen in match play."

Oloughlin took the lead with a par on the third hole, saw Tambellini square the match after four holes, then won the fifth and was in command from that point.

"Being the medalist, he had more pressure on him," said Oloughlin, a two-time Minnesota state match-play champion. "I was just happy to get in. I know that if I can play well, I can beat players of that stature."

In other matches, Mitch Voges of Simi Valley, Calif., the 1991 champion, lost 2-up to Aaron Oberholser of San Jose, Calif., while Robert Floyd of Miami Beach, with father-golfer Raymond Floyd caddying for him, scored a 2 and 1 win over Whit Stapler of England.

The second and third rounds are today, and they'll trim the field to the final eight players. The 36-hole final is Sunday.