Patterson advances at U.S. Public Links

Midway, Utah – Middle Tennessee’s Brett Patterson won 3 and 2 over Joseph Prince on Wednesday to advance to the round of 32 at the 2012 U.S. Amateur Public Links. It was the opening round of match play following two days of stroke play.

The low 64 players advanced to match play, which started Wednesday morning. Patterson had rounds of 71-67 in stroke play to rank fifth out of 156 players. The match-play cut came at 4-over 146 with exactly 64 players.

Patterson won the opening hole at the par-71, 7,670-yard Soldier Hollow Golf Course and never looked back.

“In match play you don’t have to make a lot of birdies, especially on this course, you just have to stay out of trouble,” added Patterson. “I actually had four birdies and just two bogeys all day and basically cruised from the opening hole. It should be a lot of fun tomorrow.”

Patterson, a two-time Sun Belt All-Conference performer, competed in the 2011 U.S. Open Championship as the first Blue Raider to ever compete in a major.

On Thursday, Patterson will face Chattanooga’s Steven Fox (Hendersonville, Tenn.) at 8:20 AM Central and if he wins he will play again at 1:40 PM against either or Scott McNeil.

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