JOHNS CREEK, Ga. – Team Canada’s Corey Conners has moved on to the match play final at the U.S. Amateur after defeating Denny McCarthy of Rockville, Md., 1up.
Conners, a 22-year-old Listowel, Ont. native, came out firing with a birdie on the opening hole to take the early lead. The recent Kent State graduate kept his foot on the gas, building up a 2-hole advantage after the par-4 third hole. McCarthy, the no. 36 ranked male amateur in the world, chipped away at the lead by taking advantage of two consecutive bogeys by Conners to close out the front nine, making the match all square.
Conners recovered quickly on the back nine, turning the tables to take advantage of consecutive bogeys by McCarthy. The match was tight was down the stretch, with Conners hanging on for a nail-biting, 1up finish on the par-5 18th.
As a finalist, Conners will likely receive an invitation to the PGA Tour’s 2015 U.S. Open as well as The Masters. A dream for any golfer, the prize is even sweeter for Conners, who lost in last year’s U.S. Amateur semi-finals, narrowly missing his chance.
However, Conners must maintain his amateur status in order to receive the invitations.
The co-Mid-American-Conference (MAC) player of the year continues to add to an impressive resume this season. He carries momentum into tomorrow’s final from winning the Jones Cup, three NCAA titles, and placing runner-up at the North & South this year alone.
Conners is slated to square off against Korea’s Gunn Yang in the 36-hole final, beginning Sunday morning at 8:30 am (EDT).
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Taylor Pendrith and Corey Conners (USGA)