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Bemowski
And Reynolds
To
Meet For
2004
USGA
Senior
Amateur
Championship
Los
Angeles, Calif. - Greg Reynolds, 57, of Grand Blanc, Mich.,
and Mark Bemowski, 58, of Mukwonago, Wis., both won semifinal
matches Wednesday and will meet in the 18-hole championship
final of the 2004 Senior Amateur, being conducted at the par-70,
6,491-yard Bel-Air Country Club.
It's
a case of déjà vu for the two players, who met
in the final of the 2002 USGA Senior Amateur at Timuquana
Country Club in Jacksonville,
Fla.,
when Reynolds
won the championship with a 4-and-3 victory.
"It's
incredible," said Bemowski about the rematch. "From the day
I walked off that course in Florida,
I've dreamt about having a rematch with Greg.
We've become good friends and we've even talked about it and
here it is. It's just amazing that it would happen. How many
times do you get another chance?"
"I'm
looking forward to it," said Reynolds.
"I'm really excited about getting the chance to do it again."
In
his semifinal match against Michael
Walters,
56, of Tampa,
Fla.,
Reynolds
fell behind when he bogeyed the fourth hole. It was the first
time he had fallen behind in the championship, including his
3-and-2 quarterfinal victory over Jack
Vardaman,
64, of Washington D.C.,
earlier in the day.
 |
| Mark Bemowski hits from a bunker during
his semifinal victory Wednesday. (Sam Greenwood/USGA) |
"I
was not very happy with myself when that happened," Reynolds
said.
Reynolds
rebounded to win the
next four holes to take control of the match. He made a 15-foot
birdie putt on the par-4, 448-yard 15th hole to close out
Walters, 4 and 3. In five matches, Reynolds
has yet to play past
the 16th hole.
"You've
just got to hit more quality shots than the other guy, and
make less mistakes," said Reynolds.
"I think that's probably been the key to most of the matches
that I've won, especially on this golf course. You might make
a few birdies, but making fewer mistakes than the other guy
is a big advantage here."
In
his semifinal match against Alan
Foster,
61, of Manilus,
N.Y.,
Bemowski was the equivalent of three under par. He took a
3-up lead after a birdie on the par-3, 210-yard 13 th hole
when he hit his tee shot to four feet, and closed out the
match, 4 and 3, when Foster double bogeyed the 15th hole.
It
was a reversal from his semifinal match against two-time USA
Walker Cupper Marty West 56, of Rockville,
Md.,
earlier in the day. In that match, Bemowski had six bogeys,
including five in a row at one point, but still held on for
a 2-and-1 victory.
"I
played awful this morning," said Bemowski. "It was an absolute
miracle - I couldn't have been luckier to win the match. This
afternoon, I played just the opposite. I was very pleased
with the way I played."
The
18-hole championship final is scheduled for 9
a.m. PDT Thursday.
The USGA Senior Amateur is one of 13 national championships
conducted annually by the United States Golf Association,
10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
Story
written by Beth
Murrison
of USGA media relations.
You can reach
her at bmurrison@usga.org.
Los
Angeles, Calif.
- Results from the Wednesday's
quarterfinal and semifinal rounds of match play at the 2004
USGA Senior Amateur Championship, being conducted at the par-70,
6,491-yard Bel-Air Country Club.
Round
of 8
Upper
Bracket
Mark
Bemowski,
Mukwonago,
Wis.
(149) def. Martin West,
Rockville,
Md.
(152), 2 and 1
Alan
Foster,
Manlius,
N.Y.
(153) def. Ted Lyford,
Redlands,
Calif.
(154), 2 and 1
Lower
Bracket
Michael
Walters,
Tampa,
Fla.
(149) def. Greg Shaw,
Little Rock,
Ark.
(155), 2 and 1
Greg
Reynolds,
Grand Blanc,
Mich.
(151) def. Jack Vardaman,
Washington,
D.C.
(154), 3 and 2
Round
of 4
Upper
Bracket
Bemowski
def. Foster, 4 and 3
Lower
Bracket
Reynolds
def. Walters,
4 and 3
Los
Angeles, Calif.
- Pairing for the 2004
USGA Senior Amateur Championship final, to be played Thursday
at the par-70, 6,491-yard Bel-Air Country Club.
9:00
a.m. Mark
Bemowski,
Mukwonago,
Wis.
(149) vs. Greg Reynolds,
Grand Blanc,
Mich.
(151)
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