Foust advances at PNGA Men’s Amateur; heavyweights on collision course in match-play bracket

Sam Foust, the No. 1 seed, has advanced to the Round of 16 after defeating Charles Sitton 4 and 3 in this morning’s Round of 32 match. This afternoon, Foust will face Patrick Sato in the Round of 16, as each are trying to wend their way through the match-play bracket of the 116th Pacific Northwest Men’s Amateur, being held this week at Emerald Valley Golf & Resort.

Drew McCullough of Richland, Wash. has also advanced to the Round of 16, handing a 5 and 4 defeat to Francis Bonfilio of Boise, Idaho in this morning’s match. McCullough, who will be a senior at the University of Wyoming, won the Washington Open earlier this summer, playing against the region’s professionals, and last week was the co-leader after the first round of the Sahalee Players Championship. McCullough will face Brian Mogg of Sammamish, Wash. in this afternoon’s match.

McCullough and Foust are in the same bracket this week, and would eventually have to face each before reaching the final match.

Also advancing to the Round of 16 is 36-year-old Reid Hatley of Hayden Lake, Idaho. Hatley, who was named as the PNGA Mid-Amateur Player of the Year in 2015 and 2016, is holding his own against the college kids, defeating Zach Evens of Mercer Island 2 and 1 in this morning’s match. Evens will be a sophomore at Guilford College in North Carolina.

Hatley will face Emmett Oh of Calgary, Alberta in this afternoon’s Round of 16 match. Oh just graduated from the University of Houston.