2014 national champ ends run by Coloradan Chris Thayer in round of 32 of U.S. Mid-Am
By Gary Baines – 9/14/2022
Chris Thayer made it to the final 32 out of a 264-man field at the U.S. Mid-Amateur, but a two-time USGA champion kept him from going farther on Wednesday at Erin Hills in Wisconsin.
Thayer, the 2021 CGA Player of the Year from Golden, saw his run end at the Mid-Am when Scott Harvey of Greensboro, N.C., took him down 3 and 1 in the round of 32 on Wednesday afternoon.
Harvey, winner of the 2014 U.S. Mid-Am and the 2019 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball (the latter with Todd Mitchell), won the first three holes — going birdie-birdie-par — and led 5 up after nine. Thayer rallied with three consecutive birdies on holes 10-12 to make it 2 up, but the lead remained there until Harvey won No. 17 with a par to close out Thayer.
Harvey went bogey-free through 17 holes and finished 4 under for the match. Thayer ended up even for the round.
Chris Thayer of Golden (left) is congratulated by Matthew Naumec after the Coloradan’s victory in the round of 64 on Wednesday. (Photo: Steven Gibbons/USGA)
Earlier in the day, Thayer won his round-of-64 match 2 and 1 over Matthew Naumec of Wilbraham, Mass. The match was tied through nine holes, but Thayer won 10, 12 and 15 with birdies and held off Naumec. The Coloradan was 1 under for 17 holes.
Thayer tied for 53rd in the stroke-play portion of the championship, advancing to match play with a birdie on the third hole of a 17-for-12 playoff.
One golfer with some Colorado connections did make the round of 16 at the Mid-Am. Former Colorado State University golfer Bryce Hanstad, from Edina, Minn., scored a 2-up victory in Wednesday’s round of 32 over stroke-play co-medalist Jake Shuman of Boston.
Hanstad lost the first hole, but took the lead for good with a winning par on No. 4. He finished the round 1 over par.
In Thursday’s round of 16, Hanstad will face Ryan Greer of Knoxville, Tenn.
(Update Sept. 16: Hanstad advanced to the semifinals before losing.)
Here were the stroke-play scores for all the players with strong Colorado ties who competed in the U.S. Mid-Am:
28. Former CSU golfer Bryce Hanstad 70-72–142
53. Chris Thayer, Golden 75-69–144
Failed to Advance to Match Play
Nick Sharp, Denver 76-74–150
Sam Marley, Centennial 75-76—151
Nick Nosewicz, Aurora 77-76–153
Tom Glissmeyer, Denver 77-WD
For all the results from Erin Hills, CLICK HERE.
Colorado Golf Journal 