Golfweek - Golf News Magazine

By DAN MIROCHA
Assistant Editor

AUGUSTA, Mo. – If you’re looking for the secret to Anthony Paolucci’s success, try the steak and salmon with vegetables at LongHorn Steakhouse.

That’s the meal Paolucci ate Tuesday night and last night.

“I’m pretty sure we’re going back tonight,” Paolucci said. “I’ve got some superstitions.”

Paolucci waltzed into the quarterfinals of the U.S. Junior Amateur on Thursday with a 2-and-1 victory over John Huh. In the first round, he knocked off Bud Cauley, Golfweek’s second-ranked junior, 5 and 4, and this morning he beat Jeffrey Hamm, 3 and 2.


And he’s thanking his lucky meal, which coincidentally was the same meal he ate before shooting his second-round 67 at the Westfield Junior PGA.

“But after that I didn’t have (the same meal) and shot 73,” Paolucci said.

The 14-year-old wised up and order the steak and salmon the night before the final round and posted a 69 to finish in seventh place.

“I used to have superstitions about desserts, too,” he said.

Paolucci had never played a match-play event before arriving at Boone Valley Golf Club this week. In fact, he played in just his first AJGA open event this spring. His victory this morning assured him exemptions for the rest of the year.

“I checked the Golfweek rankings, and all these kids here have played bigger tournaments than I’ve ever played,” Paolucci said. “My goal was just to make the cut. Getting this far is a bonus.”

Paolucci, whose 5-foot-11, 135-pound frame resembles a 1-iron, will face top-ranked Peter Uihlein in the quarterfinals tomorrow. Paolucci has never met Uihlein before, but said he knows what he’s up against. Uihlein played a group in front of Paolucci Thursday afternoon and holed out for eagle from 124 yards on the 474-yard par-4 13th en route to his 4-and-2 victory over Jeffrey Kang.

“I just have to not think about all that and go out and try to beat Peter,” Paolucci said. “I’m going against the No. 1 kid in the country. I have nothing to lose tomorrow. I’m supposed to lose.”

Wesley Graham, who was dealt on paper the toughest draw of any competitor, took down Polo Junior Classic champ Morgan Hoffmann, 1 up. Two down with two to play, Hoffman won 17 with a birdie after sticking his approach to 3 feet. He looked to be in good position to force extra holes, but his 4-footer for birdie at 18 lipped out.

Graham, now a Junior quarterfinalist for the second year in a row, has knocked off David Chung, Luke Guthrie and now Hoffmann, who defeated Graham in the first round of last year’s Polo.

“I knew that coming into today, and I knew I needed to get back at him,” Graham said. “And I did.”

The match that drew Thursday afternoon’s largest crowd was Cory Whitsett vs. Seung Yul Noh, the medalist who has breezed through the opening rounds with 4-and-3 and 6-and-5 victories.

The momentum swung in Noh’s favor after he birdied the par-3 12th and then watched as Whitsett’s drive on No. 13 rolled into a pond. But Whitsett got up-and-down with a 54-degree wedge from 117 yards, walking in a 20-footer for par.

Noh missed a 4-footer for birdie that would have won the hole.

“It was just one of those putts where you know you’re going to make it right when you see it,” Whitsett said. “It changed the match around.”

Whitsett took a 1-up lead into 18, but sailed a 9-iron 20 yards over the green and into waist-high fescue. He pitched to 18 feet, and when Noh stubbed his chip and missed a 12-footer for par, Whitsett two-putted for a 1-up victory.

“I got kind of lucky, but I’ll take it,” Whitsett said. “I just wanted to get into tomorrow and do some damage.”

Perhaps the same kind of damage Paolucci does to a plate full of steak and salmon.

With vegetables.

• • •

Dan Mirocha is a Golfweek assistant editor. To reach him e-mail dmirocha@golfweek.com.

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Results from the third round of match play at the U.S. Junior Amateur, played July 26 at the par-71, 6,894-yard Boone Valley Golf Club in Augusta, Mo.:

THIRD ROUND
Cory Whitsett def. Seung Yul Noh	1 up
Chris Cho def. Jack Fields	4 and 3
Wesley Graham def. Morgan Hoffmann	1 up
Sean Dale def. Tim Honeycutt	1 up
Peter Uihlein def. Jeffrey Kang	4 and 2
Anthony Paolucci def. John Huh	2 and 1
Michael McGowan def. James White	3 and 1
Sean Brannan def. Hyun Seok Lim	19 holes
SECOND ROUND
Seung Yul Noh def. Daily Young	6 and 5
Cory Whitsett def. Zac Blair	3 and 2
Chris Cho def. T.J. Vogel	2 and 1
Jack Fields def. Devin Miertschin	20 holes
Wesley Graham def. Luke Guthrie	3 and 2
Morgan Hoffmann def. Bhavik Patel	3 and 2
Sean Dale def. Matthew Giles	4 and 2
Tim Honeycutt def. Cody Gribble	1 up
Peter Uihlein def. Hunter Hamrick	1 up
Jeffrey Kang def. Lee Bedford	4 and 3
John Huh def. Ronnald Monaco	3 and 1
Anthony Paolucci def. Jeffrey Hamm	3 and 2
James White def. Wesley Bryan	3 and 1
Michael McGowan def. Jhared Hack	2 and 1
Hyun Seok Lim def. Will McCurdy	3 and 2
Sean Brannan def. Cameron Peck	2 and 1
FIRST ROUND
Seung Yul Noh def. Jackson Beindorf	4 and 3
Daily Young def. Ben Vertz	5 and 3
Cory Whitsett def. Gaston De La Torre	5 and 4
Zac Blair def. Alex Shi Yup Kim	2 and 1
T.J. Vogel def. Brett Cairns	2 up
Chris Cho def. Spencer Anderson	19 holes
Devin Miertschin def. Benjamin Thorseth	2 and 1
Jack Fields def. Santiago Gavino	4 and 2
Luke Guthrie def. Mu Hu	6 and 4
Wesley Graham def. David Chung	20 holes
Morgan Hoffmann def. Taylor Fontaine	4 and 3
Bhavik Patel def. Brian Carter	19 holes
Sean Dale def. Cameron Wilson	1 up
Matthew Giles def. Blake Redmond	4 and 2
Cody Gribble def. Alan Lee	3 and 2
Tim Honeycutt def. Daniel Meggs	2 and 1
Hunter Hamrick def. Alex Lyall	1 up
Peter Uihlein def. Alex Moon	3 and 2
Jeffrey Kang def. James Erkenbeck	1 up
Lee Bedford def. Nick Delio	1 up
Ronnald Monaco def. Matt Nolasco	5 and 4
John Huh def. Logan Knebels	4 and 2
Jeffrey Hamm def. J.J. Spaun	5 and 4
Anthony Paolucci def. William Cauley	5 and 4
James White def. Ryan Kelley	4 and 2
Wesley Bryan def. Tyler Mitchell	4 and 3
Jhared Hack def. Sam Chien	3 and 2
Michael McGowan def. Joon An	1 up
Hyun Seok Lim def. Brad Miller	1 up
Sean Brannan def. Danny Lee	19 holes
Cameron Peck def. John Pavelko	3 and 2

• • •

Click here for results from stroke-play qualifying.



Posted: 7/26/2007

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