Griffin gets past 1st round of match play at US Public Links

Griffin gets past 1st round of match play

GREENSBORO, N.C. — Medalist John-Tyler Griffin played 18 holes advanced through the first round of match play in the U.S. Amateur Public Links on Wednesday.

Griffin, a Georgia Tech golfer from Wilson, N.C., defeated Andrew Perez of Oxnard, Calif., 1-up to move on at Bryan Park Golf and Conference Center. Griffin led by two holes with two holes to play and held on.

Griffin’s opponent in Thursday’s round of 32 will be Florida State’s Wesley Graham. There will be two rounds Thursday, narrowing the field to eight.

Canada’s Nick Taylor, the 2009 runner-up, was eliminated in the first round by North Carolina-Pembroke’s Jonathan McCurry of Sanford, N.C., by a 4 and 2 score. Taylor, formerly of the University of Washington, was seeded 18th after stroke play.

Second-seeded Derek Ernst of UNLV never led until winning the 13th hole on the way to a 2 and 1 victory against LSU’s Clayton Rotz of Chambersburg, Pa.

Third-seeded Patrick Reed of national champion Augusta State won 7 and 6 against Bridgewater College’s Travis Gahman of Souderton, Pa.