Clio's own Nick Sears with a birdie attempt at the 101st Michigan Amateur
/ Jamie Edmonds
Match play rounds at the 101st Michigan Amateur began on the morning of Wednesday, June 20.
After qualifying rounds narrowed the field down to 64 golfers for the first round of match play, only 16 golfers will remain by Thursday morning.
Of the golfers NBC25 covered in Wednesday's match play rounds, Brian Hayward from Grand Rapids was the only one who advanced to the third round. Hayward, the number one-ranked golfer after qualifying rounds, defeated Okemos' Casey Olsen in the first round, and Midland's Timothy Coffey in the second round. Hayward will play Brett Hudson in the third round, teeing off the first hole at 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 21.
The third round will be without any golfers from the Flint/Bay region, all of whom either were eliminated in the second qualification round on Tuesday, or lost on Wednesday in a match play round. One notable was Nick Sears from Clio, playing 22 holes before losing to Michael Zausmer of West Bloomfield in the first round. 1992 and 1999 Michigan Amateur winner Randy Lewis from Alma was knocked out by 19-year old Alex Jones of Dewitt. Lewis' 1992 victory is the only other time the Amateur was held at Oakland Hills Country Club.
Other Flint/Bay region golfers who lost in the first round of match play include Greg Reynolds, Nick Cunningham, Mark Foster, and Matt Ostby.
For complete results, and a schedule for the third round on Thursday morning, click here.
