Jones Advances to Match Play

Aug. 19, 2003

Clemson, SC – Clemson senior Gregg Jones fired a one-under-par 69 on the par 70 Pittsburgh Field Course and tied for sixth after the two rounds of stroke play at the 2003 US Amateur at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania. Jones will now join 63 other players in the match play portion of the event that will start on Wednesday morning.

A Champion will be crowned after the 36-hole final on Sunday. Both finalists will be extended an invitation to the 2004 Masters.

Jones had a 72 in the first day at Oakmont, as he carded two bogeys and 16 pars. He continued the consistency on Tuesday with his one-under par 69 that included three birdies and two bogeys. He could have finished in a tie for second, but he bogeyed his final two holes. His two-day score of 141 tied for sixth best in the 312 player field.

The native of Florence has had a strong summer after helping the Tigers to the 2003 NCAA Championship. Jones had three top 10 finishes at major amateur events in June, including a third place at the Sunnehanna and a fourth place at the Northeast Amateur. He was also ninth at the Monroe. He is a strong candidate to make the United States Walker Cup team. Two berths remain for that team and those spots will be announced after the US Amateur.

Matt Hendrix, another Clemson senior who has already been named to the Walker Cup team, had rounds of 76 and 72 in the two days at the US Amateur stroke play and did not make the cut for the 64-player match play field. He missed a playoff by one shot. He finished in a tie for 67th at 148.

Martin Catalioto, who will be a sophomore on Clemson’s team this year, had rounds of 78-75 and finished 144th at 153. Catalioto also qualified for the US Public Links Championship this summer and was the only Tiger to make both national tournaments. Incoming freshman Tanner Ervin had rounds of 74 and 83 and finished 215th at 157. Clemson has had one player win the United States Amateur in its history. Chris Patton won the 1989 championship at Merion Country Club in Pennsylvania