UNLV’s Moore ousted in match play opener

Alan Robinson

Thursday, Aug. 21, 2003 | 9:16 a.m.

OAKMONT, Pa. -- While most of the favorites overcame the trouble spots that make Oakmont Country Club one of the world's toughest courses, UNLV's Ryan Moore came up short Wednesday in the first round of match play in the U.S. Amateur.

Moore, whose first-round 65 at the Pittsburgh Field Club gave made him the early favorite in medalist competition, was a 1-up loser to Auburn's Lee Williams. Moore staged a rally on the back nine Wednesday, but Williams birdied the par-4 17th hole to regain the lead and when both golfers bogeyed No. 18, Williams advanced to today's second round.

Moore made the turn down two holes, but rebounded by winning the 12th and 16th holes with pars while Williams was making bogeys.

Meanwhile, some of the other favorites marched forward. Casey Wittenberg, the top-ranked U.S. amateur, beat Bill Drohen of Haverhill, Mass., 5 and 3 as match play began Wednesday with a few close calls but only a couple of upsets.

Wittenberg is from Memphis -- yes, the hometown of Shaun Micheel, the surprise winner of last week's PGA Championship. Winning at Oakmont wouldn't be an upset at all for Wittenberg, but he hopes Micheel's title is a good omen.

"He's a great friend and a great player," said Wittenberg, the Southern Amateur champion. "He's a great influence on everybody in Memphis and a great influence on me as far as being able to practice and work with him."

Another of the favorites, Trip Kuehne, expected all along to get to today's rounds, and didn't change his mind even when Ty Harris of Georgia State led him during most of the front nine. Kuehne rallied to win 2-up.

"If I were Ty Harris, I'd probably have a good cry because you don't see many amateurs shoot under par at Oakmont and lose. He played phenomenally," Kuehne said. "But it's been a long time since I've been in a position where I wanted the ball when the game was on the line, and I drew from some past experiences."

At 31, Kuehne is far older than the mostly college age kids still in contention. He was the runner-up to Tiger Woods in 1994, when Wittenberg was only 9.

Camilo Villegas' rally was even more dramatic -- and more frantic -- than Kuehne's. Down by three holes through No. 13, the University of Florida star won the final five holes to beat Terrence Miskell of New Braunfels, Texas, 2-up. Villegas' comeback started with an eagle 3 at the 621-yard 12th.

Tom Glissmeyer, a 16-year-old high school junior from Colorado Springs, Colo., and the youngest player left in the field, had no problems in beating Randy Nichols of Connersville, Ind., 6 and 5.

Billy Haas, the son of PGA Tour player Jay Haas, had one of the shortest matches, beating Jessie Mudd of Louisville 7 and 5. Another Walker Cup team member, Brock Mackenzie of Yakima, Wash., beat Mark Christensen of Elk River, Minn., 6 and 5.

John Holmes, a University of Kentucky star who was the top qualifier, won 6 and 4 over Rick Reinsberg of Lafayette, Calif.