Parziale in Mid-Am final
Matt Parziale, a firefighter from Brockton, and Josh Nichols, a wedding caterer from Kernersville, N.C., each won quarterfinal and semifinal matches yesterday to advance to the 36-hole final match of the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship in Atlanta. The final tees off today at 8 a.m. on the par-70, 7,207yard Capital City Club’s Crabapple Course.
Parizale, 30, and Nichols, 26, are vying for a full exemption from local and sectional qualifying into the 2018 U.S. Open. The champion also receives a likely invitation to next year’s Masters.
Parziale, competing in his ninth USGA championship, came from 5 down with eight holes to play in the morning quarterfinals to topple Bradford Tilley, the top seed and medalist from stroke play, in 20 holes, and then defeated Dan Sullivan of Pasadena, Calif., 5 and 4, in the semis.
“This is what all mid-ams want,” said Parziale, who had never won a match in three previous U.S. MidAmateur appearances. “I am excited to be here and I am excited for the opportunity.”
Nichols outlasted Mark Harrell of Lookout Mountain, Ga., in the semifinals when he sank a birdie putt on the final hole for a 1-up victory. In the quarterfinals, Nichols upended Scott Anderson, the No. 3 seed, 2 up.
Parziale, the No. 9 seed in the match-play bracket out of Thorny Lea GC, used the momentum of his morning comeback victory to get off to a quick start against Sullivan, who was making his second consecutive semifinal appearance. He made an 18-foot birdie putt on the par-4 fourth to build a 3-up margin and never trailed.
In knocking off Tilley, Parziale’s run started with a 25-foot birdie putt at No. 11 and a 2-putt birdie on the par-5 12th. He would go on to post winning pars at 15 and 16 before making a 20-footer for birdie on No. 17 to square the match.
“I was just trying to hit good shots,” said Parziale, who played three years as a professional before regaining his amateur status in 2013. “Maybe I got little head of myself early, but I am proud that I was able to get myself back and respond.”
Thomas trails
Justin Thomas collected the Jack Nicklaus Award as the U.S. PGA Tour player of the year a couple of days before heading to Malaysia in a bid to win his third successive CIMB Classic.
Little wonder then the two-time defending champion was slightly off his game in the first round yesterday in Kuala Lumpur, managing only a 2-under-par 70 to sit 6 strokes behind leader Cameron Smith of Australia.
Smith opened with a blemish-free 8-under 64 and leads a U.S. PGA Tour event after the first round for the first time in 64 starts.
Keegan Bradley, Xander Schauffele and Poom Saksansin of Thailand were tied for second at 7-under.
Brendan Steele, coming off a victory last week at the Safeway Open, had an opening 67 to be 3 shots off the lead.
Park finishes strong
Sung Hyun Park birdied her last two holes for a 6-under 66 and a share of the lead in the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship as the South Korean bolstered her bid to win LPGA rookie of the year and player of the year.
Park was tied for the firstround lead with Min-Sun Kim and Minjee Lee.
Cristie Kerr, coming off a victory last week in France, was among those at 67 . . . .
Defending champion and home favorite Francesco Molinari was among six players who shared a 1-stroke lead after the opening round of the Italian Open in Monza.
Jamie Donaldson, Kiradech Aphibarnrat, Eddie Pepperell, Matt Wallace and Alexander Bjork also shot 7-under 64s at the Golf Club Milano, next to Monza’s Formula One circuit.