Pinehurst native Jackson Van Paris and University of North Carolina golfer David Ford were among the match play qualifiers Tuesday after 36 holes of stroke play at the U.S. Amateur in Chaska, Minnesota.
Van Paris, a rising senior at Vanderbilt, tied for eighth at 5-under-par 137 after rounds at Chaska Town and Hazeltine National. Peter Fountain of Raleigh, who plays at UNC, finished at 142, advancing to a 14-man playoff for 11 remaining spots.
The final 64 in the 312-player field will begin match play later Wednesday.
Carson Bertagnole, a high school student from Pinehurst, UNC’s Maxwell Ford, UNC Greensboro’s Kelvin Hernandez (pictured) and N.C. State’s Nick Mathews of Mebane failed to make the cut.
Jimmy Ellis, a 39-year-old from Atlantic Beach, Florida, who works in the energy industry, was the medalist at 132, including 61 Tuesday at Chaska Town. No mid-amateur has won the tournament since 1993.
Ellis won the Florida State Amateur in June to earn an exemption into the tourney.
