Davis tops medalist on crazy day at U.S. Am

Photo by Tracy Wilcox

Armory Davis during the Round of 64 at the U.S. Amateur.

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U.S. Amateur (Round of 64)

Sixty-four golfers tackled tough Chambers Bay in the first round of match play at the U.S. Amateur.

UNIVERSITY PLACE, Wash. – It was shortly after 7 p.m. Wednesday, more than 12 hours after his day began, and Amory Davis was laid out on a table in a physical therapy tent at Chambers Bay, having his lower-back loosened up after a long day. Davis woke up at 6:15 Wednesday morning so that he could arrive at Chambers in time for a 16-for-6 playoff for the final match-play berths at the U.S. Amateur.

He got a harsher wake-up call when five players birdied Chambers Bay’s par-4 10th. “I was like, ‘You’ve got to be kidding me right now,’ ” Davis said. He’d missed a 12-foot birdie putt on that hole, and was one of eight players fighting for one final spot. Davis won it on the next hole, hitting 5-iron to 10 feet and making the birdie.

Davis spent time in his hotel room, and the hot tub, as he killed time before his scheduled 2:10 p.m. match against Jeff Wilson. Davis beat Wilson, the Amateur’s stroke-play medalist, 3 and 1, in the day’s final match.

“Eat dinner. Sleep. I’m so tired. It was a long day,” Davis said.