Indiana University Athletics
Overton Reaches Semifinals at U.S. Amateur
8/20/2004 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
August 20, 2004
Mamaroneck, N.Y. - Facing one of the top amateurs in the U.S. is no easy task. Facing him on his home course is a nearly impossible task. But Jeff Overton was more than able to overcome the odds. Indiana's top golfer defeated Andy Svoboda, 2 up, to advance to the semifinals at the 104th U.S. Amateur Championships at Winged Foot Golf Club.
With the victory, Overton will face the defending NCAA champion and UNLV senior Ryan Moore at 10 a.m. (EDT) on Saturday.
Svoboda, a four-time Club champion at Winged Foot, jumped out to the lead with a birdie on the par-4 second hole. The deficit was Overton's first in four matches. However, the deficit did not last long, as the senior recorded a par on the par-3 third hole to even the match.
After the duo halved the next two holes, Overton took his first lead of the match following a par and a Svoboda bogey at No. 6. The Evansville, Ind., native maintained his lead until a bogey at the eighth squared the match.
Svoboda reclaimed his 1-up lead at the par-3 10th and held it until the par-3 13th, where Overton got up and down for par after a Svoboda bogey to level the match. The second team All-American went on to recapture the lead following a three-foot par putt on the 14th.
At No. 15, Overton nearly chipped in from the fringe and tapped in for par to maintain his lead heading to the 16th, where Svoboda evened the match once again with a sand save for par.
Continuing the seesaw affair, Overton nearly holed a 60-foot putt for birdie on the par-4 17th, as Svoboda missed a par-saving putt to give Overton a 1-up lead.
The Big Ten Player of the Year drilled a perfect drive on the 18th tee and left his second shot just off the green, while Svoboda's second shot ended up in the left rough. Overton's chip shot was three feet short of the hole, putting the pressure back on Svoboda's shoulders. After leaving his wedge shot 15 feet short of the hole, Svoboda missed his putt to extend the match and conceded the hole, giving Overton the victory and a date with Moore in the final four.
"I tell you what, when you play a USGA golf course, pars are good," said Overton. "Especially coming down the stretch, I'd take 18 pars tomorrow and the next day. But especially when the golf course is playing a lot harder, and like what Andrew was saying, it's hard to adjust because you're so used to seeing the ball spin back 10 or 15 feet. It's just playing a lot tougher out there now."
Moore defeated Texas senior Ryan Hartwick, 3 and 2, to claim a spot in the semifinals. The Puyallup, Wash., native earned medalist honors in the stroke play portion of the Championships with a two-round, 1-under-par 139 (69-70).
"Ryan Moore, he's a great player and he has the credentials to show it," said Overton. "I've got to look at him like any other person and just go out and play my game. If I can establish my game and not let him bother me, because that's all match play is, I should be all right. But if I can't, then I'll probably lose. But I've just got to go out there and think positive and not think about him and think about myself."
Highlights and complete coverage of Overton's semifinal match can be seen on ESPN2 from 4-6 p.m. on Friday. Below is a look at the complete match play television schedule:
ESPN2 MATCH PLAY TELEVISION SCHEDULE
Semifinals - Saturday Aug., 21, 4-6 p.m. (EDT)
Championship - Sunday Aug., 22, 3-5 p.m. (EDT)
