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Aug. 27, 2009

TULSA, Okla. -- University of Texas senior Charlie Holland secured his second quarterfinals appearance in as many years Thursday with victories over Tim Jackson and Christopher Ross at the 2009 U.S. Amateur Championship at Southern Hills Country Club. 

Holland (Dallas, Texas) eliminated Jackson, the tournament’s 36-hole stroke-play medalist, by a 1-up count in the round of 32 before returning later in the afternoon to eliminate Ross, 2 and 1.  Holland will take on a familiar foe in Oklahoma State’s Peter Uihlein in Friday’s quarterfinals.  Holland advanced to the quarterfinals at the 2008 U.S. Amateur in Pinehurst, N.C., where he fell to Adam Mitchell, 2 and 1.

Holland began the day by going toe-to-toe with Jackson and emerging with a 1-up victory.  Jackson held a 2-up lead through 3 holes before Holland won the next two to square the match.  After halving holes 6 and 7, Holland won the eighth hole and assumed a lead he would not relinquish.  Holland led 2-up through 16 holes, but Jackson birdied the par-four 17th hole to stay alive.  Holland and Jackson parred the 18th and final hole, resulting in a 1-up victory for Holland in the round of 32. 

Holland trailed Ross after most of the first nine holes in the round of 16 before gradually taking over the match.  Ross claimed the first hole before Holland responded by taking the second hole.  Ross claimed the third hole before halving the next six holes with Holland.  A bogey from Ross at No. 10 evened the match, and Holland assumed his first lead at No. 11 with a birdie at the par three, 170-yard layout. 

Ross evened the match by claiming the 12th hole, and after another halve at No. 13, Holland took the lead for good with another birdie on a par-three, this time at No. 14.  Holland and Ross halved No. 15, and Holland took control by winning the 16th hole and assuming a 2-up lead.  Both competitors birdied the par-four at No. 17, as Holland maintained his 2-up lead and clinched the victory.

Live scoring for the U.S. Amateur Championship is available at usamateur.org.  Coverage from The Golf Channel will run from noon to 2 p.m. Central on Friday.     

POST-MATCH QUOTES
Charlie Holland
“My ball-striking has become much better.  I’ve been down in every match, but I just kept fighting.  There’s no need to freak out.  I knew I just needed to climb back knew it would be a long day ahead of me.  I’m looking forward to what is ahead of me.  I made the quarterfinals last year, so I know what to expect.  I was nervous last year, but I’m not nervous at all now.  I’m much more comfortable.  What I did last year really helped prepare me and get more comfortable with the tournament this year.   

“I was pretty excited after the first match.  Tim Jackson is a heck of a player, a grinder. He hits it straight off the tee and makes a lot of putts.  I was down early, but I came back.  Tim is a great player and a good guy.  I’m really pumped about moving on.  I’ve just taken the things I learned from the last year and I’ve played some good golf this summer.  I knew this was coming eventually, and I’m pretty excited about tomorrow.  I’ve played against Peter in junior golf and have gotten to know him.  He’s a really good player, and he just bombs it off of the tee.  He is solid all around, and I will have to play well to win.  I’m looking forward to it.”