Franklin Regional star bows out in N.C.

Teenager Cohen Trolio advanced to the U.S. Amateur semifinals Friday by beating Austin Squires, 3 and 1.

Trolio, 17, a rising high school junior from West Point, Miss., won the final three holes of the match — Nos. 15-17 at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina — to end Squires’ unlikely run.

“It’s crazy, but it’s awesome, and I know that I’ve still got a couple more steps to go,” Trolio said. “So we aren’t getting too crazy excited. But it’s cool.”

Squires claimed the 64th seed and final spot in the match-play field on the fourth hole of a 27-for-3 playoff. After winning three matches in two days, the former Cincinnati player was beaten in the quarterfinals for the second year in a row. He was knocked out by eventual champion Viktor Hovland a year ago at Pebble Beach.

Trolio will face fellow Mississippian Andy Ogletree Saturday, with John Augenstein taking on William Holcomb V in the other semifinal.

Augenstein, 21, who plays at Vanderbilt, had a 3-and-2 victory over teenager Palmer Jackson of Franklin Regional.

The winners in the semifinals meet Sunday in a 36-hole final.

“This is the amateur tournament in the world, and to be ... started with, what, seven-thousand-some for this tournament, and now there’s four,” Ogletree said. “So it’s pretty cool, and I’m definitely going to think about that and not take it for granted and see what I can do.”

Ogletree, who is from Little Rock, Miss., beat Spencer Ralston, 6 and 5, to advance to the semifinals for the first time. The 21year-old rising senior at Georgia Tech has put together consecutive lopsided victories, after beating Blake Hathcoat, 5 and 4, a day earlier in the Round of 16.

Holcomb, of Sam Houston State, claimed a 4-and-3 win over Australian teen Karl Vilips.

Two share lead

Miguel Angel Jimenez birdied three of the final six holes for a 7-under 65 and a share of the first-round lead with Monday qualifier Doug Barron in the PGA Tour Champions Dick’s Sporting Goods Open in Endicott, N.Y.

Jimenez, 55, had eight birdies and a bogey at En Joie Golf Club. The Spaniard won the Chubb Classic in February in Florida for his seventh senior title.

“It was very nice. I played very solid. I felt very comfortable on the golf course,” Jimenez said. “That’s what you need to do, hit fairways, hit greens and hit it close. I made the putts. Happy with the way I’ve been managing myself on the golf course.”

Barron, 50, had seven birdies in a bogey-free round. He’s coming off a fifthplace tie in the Senior British Open in his Champions debut.

“I’ve been around this course 32 times in tournament rounds and played however many practice rounds here when I was on tour, so I like the place. It fits my eye,” Barron said. “Just like it reminds me of the two courses I grew up playing at home. So, I’ve always played good here, I’ve had some good finishes here.”

Marco Dawson and Scott Parel were a stroke back at 66. Kevin Sutherland was another stroke back with David McKenzie and Billy Andrade. Kevin Sutherland shot a 59 in the tournament five years ago.

Senior British Open winner Bernhard Langer shot a 68, playing alongside Charles Schwab Cup leader Scott McCarron and Senior Players Championship winner Retief Goosen. Langer won at En Joie in 2014.

“You’ve got to drive it straight here,” Langer said. “It’s tree-lined, rough and trees everywhere, so you’ve got to drive it really good, hit some good irons and, hopefully, sink some putts. That’s what it takes.”

McCarron, the winner two years ago, had a 69. Goosen shot 72.

Davis Love III and Jay Haas shot 68, while playing partner Fred Couples had a 70. Couples is back at En Joie for the first time in 24 years. He won the B.C. Open in 1991 when it was a PGA Tour event.

“I just didn’t make enough birdies, but I felt OK,” Couples said. “I have to play a lot more and practice a lot harder to work my way up these leaderboards again. I have not really played well this whole year, but it’s fun to be here.”

Other Molinari

Italian Edoardo Molinari shot another 6-under 66 and earned a two-shot lead after two rounds of the Czech Masters in Vysoky Ujezd.