Matt Sughrue (1757 GC) and Pat Tallent (Westwood CC) teamed at the 51st VSGA Four-Ball Stroke Play Championship in May. With one more win, Sughrue can join his partner from that event as a USGA champion.
Sughrue won two matches on Wednesday at the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Old Warson CC in St. Louis to advance to Thursday’s championship match, which will begin at 9:30 a.m. EDT and pit Sughrue against Dave Ryan of Taylorville, Ill.
Sughrue is looking to become the second VSGA member in the last three years to win the championship. Tallent won the title in 2014.
Sughrue rallied late in his quarterfinal match against Doug Hanzel of Savannah, Ga., before holding on for a 1-up victory. Hanzel held a 1-up lead after the par-4 14th hole, but Sughrue won the next two holes to take a 1-up lead. Sughrue drained a 5-foot putt for par on No. 18 to halve the hole and secure his 1-up win.
Sughrue faced a more dire situation in his semifinal match with Kevin Cahill of Waukesha, Wisc. Sughrue trailed by 1 heading to No. 18, parred the final hole to square the match, then made par on the first extra hole to win the match in 19 holes.