PINEHURST, N.C. – You can’t judge a book by its cover, and you can’t judge a golfer based on their rank or seed.
Austin Squires is a U.S. Amateur quarterfinalist for the second consecutive year.
“I’m ecstatic,” Squires exclaimed Thursday evening. “Just to be in the position last year was pretty cool, but to be back here again, I mean, I know what I’m up against, and ready to get after it tomorrow.”
Squires qualified for the final match-play position in a 27-player playoff for just three spots on Wednesday. The playoff lasted four holes and just south of four hours.
His prize?
A Round of 64 meeting with none other than Brandon Wu, the tournament’s No. 1 seed and stroke play medalist. Ranked No. 11 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, Wu was a heavy favorite to contend for a title and no stranger to match play. The Stanford graduate helped lead his Cardinal to the 2019 NCAA Championship title with a perfect 3-0 match play record.
U.S. AMATEUR: Match play results | Photo gallery
Squires defeated Wu 2 up, and he was just getting started.
Squires, a 2019 graduate of the University of Cincinnati, then went 19 holes on Thursday morning with Stefano Mazzoli, winning to advance to the Round of 16.
His prize for another win?
Florida State junior John Pak, a four-time winner for the Seminoles last season as a sophomore, including the ACC Championship.
Squires earned the victory once again, this time 2 and 1.
“I’m not sure about chip on my shoulder, but I kind of feel like I’m playing with house money,” Squires said of his match-play success. “I mean, I’ve really got nothing to lose. If I lose the next match, I go to pro golf. If I don’t, I continue in amateur golf. So just kind of rolling with the punches and trying to play my best golf.”
Squires is just the third No. 64-seed to advance to the U.S. Amateur quarterfinals. Nathan Smith most recently lost in the quarters in 2014, as did David Lind in 1988.
He’ll look to make U.S. Amateur history on Friday afternoon against 17-year-old junior golfer Cohen Trolio.
