Pack golfers advance

Hill, Detweiler win at U.S. Amateur

PINEHURST -- N.C. State golfers Matt Hill and Brandon Detweiler gave demonstrations Wednesday in the magic of match-play golf at the U.S. Amateur.

In Hill's case, he saw a back-nine advantage disappear against Jamie Lovemark, one of the pre-tournament favorites, but rallied to win the last two holes for a 1-up victory in the first round of match play at Pinehurst No. 2.

Detweiler, meanwhile, did not lead his match against Conrad Shindler of Westlake, Texas, until he made a par on the first extra hole for a 1-up victory that gave the Wolfpack two players among the 32 remaining in the championship bracket.

Just to get to extra holes, Detweiler, a sophomore, had to birdie the tough 18th hole, knocking in a 20-footer to get even in a match Shindler had led much of the warm afternoon.

"In this format, anything can happen," said N.C. State golf coach Richard Sykes, who was watching his players at No. 2.

That's the magic of match play.

The victory earned Hill a second-round pairing against Stanford's Sihwan Kim at 8:40 a.m. Detweiler will face Georgia star Brian Harman at 9:40 a.m. Harman advanced by defeating North Carolina's Kevin O'Connell 1-up.

Two rounds are scheduled today, with the field being trimmed to eight players for Friday's quarterfinals.

In beating Lovemark, Hill took out one of the pre-tournament favorites. Lovemark has won the NCAA individual championship, the Western Amateur and the Pac-10 championship, and he was the runner-up in a Nationwide Tour event.

Against Hill, Lovemark struggled with his control off the tee and was in danger of falling 3-down until he one-hopped a 60-yard wedge shot into the hole for an eagle from the trees at the par-5 10th hole.

"That was pretty unbelievable," said Hill, a Canadian-born rising sophomore at N.C. State. "I still had the lead, but that changed the momentum."

Hill lost two of the next three holes and arrived at the par-3 17th needing to force the issue. He made a birdie there from 10 feet above the hole after Lovemark bunkered his tee shot.

At the 18th hole, Lovemark missed the green with his second and was unable to match Hill's par.

Hill, who won the individual title at the Hootie's at Bulls Bay tournament as a freshman, understood he was facing one of the stars of amateur golf.

"In a way, that took a little pressure off me because people don't expect me to win," Hill said. "I was the underdog with almost nothing to lose."

As a bonus, Hill's brother, Graham, an Eastern Michigan graduate, also advanced to the second round with a 2-and-1 victory over J.C. Horne of Daytona Beach, Fla.

Detweiler thought he might be finished when Shindler stood over a 10-foot birdie putt to win on the 17th green, a putt that narrowly missed. Instead, he survived to play another day.

"I played solid the first two days, but I still haven't putted very well," Detweiler said. "The only long putt I made was the one at No. 18. Otherwise, [Wednesday] was just a total scramble."

North Carolina's Barden Berry was eliminated by Connor McHenry of Jefferson City, Mo., 2 and 1.

Duke alumnus Jeff Edelman advanced with a 5-and-3 win over Carl Santos-Ocampo of Naples, Fla.

Brady Exber, a 52-year-old Southern Nevada Golf Hall of Famer who is the oldest player still left in the field, outlasted Pepperdine's Josh Anderson in 20 holes.