Potomac Falls’ Michael Muehr (Trump National GC, Washington DC) grinded out a pair of tough wins on Tuesday to advance to the quarterfinals of the 36th U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, held at Stonewall Links in Elverson, Pa. Muehr's run to the championship, however, ended when Scott Strickland of Birmingham, Mich., beat him 1 up to advance to the semifinals.
Muehr, who competed on the PGA Tour from 2001-04 before regaining his amateur status, reached the quarterfinals for the second time in five years. Strickland, the No. 41 seed, led 2 up after a birdie on No. 14, but Muehr battled back, winning the next two holes to square the match. After the players halved No. 17, Strickland won 18 with a par to secure the win.
Muehr defeated No. 25 seed Gregor Orlando of Philadelphia 2 and 1 in the round of 32. He sank a 12-foot par putt on No. 17 in the round of 16 to clinch a 2-and-1 win over Germany’s Claudio Consol.
“It’s great to win a match like that; he’s a real solid player,” Muehr told the USGA. “I was fortunate to win.”
Muehr made a 10-foot birdie putt from the back fringe on the par-3 fifth and won the seventh hole with a par to take the early lead. Consul, who is ranked No. 65 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, battled back and squared the match on the par-4 12th. Muehr then made a winning par on No. 13 to take the lead for good.
“Quarters is a good goal because it gets you into next year,” the 44-year-old Muehr said. “I don’t know how many more of these I have in me.”
Another VSGA member, Ashburn’s Craig Mason (1757 GC), advanced to the round of 16 on Tuesday after defeating Chris Noel of Broken Arrow, Okla., 3 and 2. Mason’s run ended against May, who blew open a match that was square after six holes by winning four of the next five holes to go 4 up after 11.