Stewart, Bowman miss cut at U.S. Amateur

TULSA, Okla. - UNC Greensboro's Terrance Stewart and Will Bowman failed to make the 36-hole cut at the USGA's U.S. Amateur Championship on Tuesday, being held at Southern Hill Country Club.

Stewart, the Spartans' head coach, carded rounds of 90 and 83 on Monday and Tuesday, respectively, while Bowman shot a 78 in Monday's opening round and followed it up with a 73. Bowman, who is just beginning his senior year at UNCG and is a native of Greensboro, missed the cut by three shots.

The U.S. Amateur Championship is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the USGA, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs. The tournament dates back to the 1890s. Today, the tournament consists of 36 holes of stroke play before a 64-player cut to begin match play on Wednesday. A total of 27 players were involved in a tie-breaker late Tuesday to determine the last 19 spots for match play.

Bowman's second round consisted of nine pars and three birdies. He went out in 37 and came back into the clubhouse in 36 for his three-over par 73.

The Amateur Championship is the oldest golf championship in this country - one day older than the U.S. Open. Except for an eight-year period, from 1965-72, when it was stroke play, the Amateur has been a match-play championship.

Over the years, as interest in the game grew and the number of quality players increased, it became necessary to establish a national handicapping system to determine who was eligible to compete in the Amateur. The USGA's first national handicap list, which was published for the 1912 Championship, was the forerunner of the present-day USGA Golf Handicap System.

Throughout its history, the U.S. Amateur has been the most coveted of all amateur titles. Many of the great names of professional golf, such as Gene Littler, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lanny Wadkins, Craig Stadler, Jerry Pate, Mark O'Meara, Hal Sutton, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, grace the Havemeyer Cup.

It was, however, longtime amateur Robert T. Jones Jr., who first attracted media coverage and spectator attendance at the Amateur Championship. Jones captured the championship five times (1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1930). His 1930 victory was a stunning moment in golf history when, at Merion Cricket Club in Ardmore, Pa., Jones rounded out the Grand Slam, winning the four major American and British championships in one year.

- UNCG -