Senior Brady Schnell Wins North and South Amateur

Pinehurst, North Carolina ? Senior Brady Schnell was crowned champion of the 106th North and South Amateur Sunday, wrapping up impressive six days straight of competition with a dominant 5&4 victory in a 36-hole final day over Robert Gates of College Station, Texas.

 

In the first 18 holes in the morning, Gates and Schnell halved the first two holes before Gates snagged a birdie three on the third hole to take a 1-up advantage. Gates went one more up on Schnell on the long par-four eighth hole, scoring a birdie three.

 

However, Schnell maintained the composure that led him to the Championship match by countering with his own birdie on the par-three ninth hole. However, Gates answered with another birdie at the 10th hole and won the 12th hole to push to the match to a three-hole advantage for Gates.

 

Schell then shifted the momentum completely with an impressive five-hole turnaround that began on the 13th hole. Schnell took control with a birdie on the 13th hole, par on the 14th and 15th, a birdie on the 15th and a par on the 17th. Schnell’s win in five consecutive holes won him the lead for the first time in the match before both players shot par on the final hole of the morning to put Schnell 2-up through the morning round.

 

Schnell’s momentum from the final six holes of the morning round carried him through the second round as he never relinquished his lead.

 

Schnell began with a birdie on the 19th hole before Gates countered on the 20th hole to keep Schnell’s advantage at two holes. On the par-four 21 hole, Gates attempted to regian some momentum by taking driver, as Schnell did the same. Schnell’s shot came up short of the green before he played an amazing chip shot that came to rest within feet of the hole. Gate’s attempt at the same didn’t make it as Schnell’s impressive short game won him the hole.

 

The duo halved holes 22 through 24 before Schnell’s short game again won him the 25th hole, increasing his lead to four holes after making his putt for birdie. Gate’s continued to attempt to counter the momentum with a birdie on the 26th hole, but found himself four down again after a Schnell birdie of two on the par-three 27th hole.

 

Holes 28 through 30 were halved before Schnell all but wrapped up the match on the 31st hole with Gate’s failing to save par after missing the green. Schnell took two putts after hitting the green and extended the lead to five holes, as Schnell and Gates would have the 32nd hole to result in the dominant 5&4 victory for Schnell.

 

Schnell’s victory in the semifinal match came in a 2&1 win over George Bryan IV of Chapin, South Carolina, who just finished in second place at the Palmetto Amateur before the North and South Amateur. While Schnell and Bryan both led at different times during the match, Schnell secured the win with a dominating performance on the back nine.

 

After winning holes one and three, Schnell was in a comfortable 2-up margin. However, Bryan answered by winning holes four through six, putting him at a 1-up advantage. Schnell answered with a birdie on the par-4 seventh hole followed by winning the 10th and 11th.

 

Schnell continued to be 2-up on Bryan until Bryan’s recovery shot on the 14th hole. However, Schnell continued to come up with answers as he shot a clutch sand save on the 17th hole to snag the win with a 2&1 advantage.

 

Schnell’s quarterfinal victory came after impressive play in a 6&5 victory over Matt Harmon of Grand Rapids, Mich. Schnell began by winning the first hole with a birdie three, taking over the match by taking the lead and winning holes five, eight, nine, 10 and 12 for the final tally. Schnell concluded his day by playing through the 13th hole with two birdies and no bogeys.

 

Schnell dominated in all rounds leading to the semifinal, beginning with a 6&5 victory over J.J. Wood of Yuma, Ariz. in the first round. Schnell then beat Matt Savage of Scottsdale, Ariz. with another 6&5 victory in the second round and a 1-up victory over David Holzworth of Chapel Hill, N.C. in the third round.

 

Schnell led the Huskers’ with a team-lowest stroke average of 72.67 through 39 rounds in his junior season. Schnell’s 2005-06 stroke average brought his career stroke average down to 73.90. Schnell’s highlights included a second-place finish at the Fairway Club Invitational in the fall and another second-place finish at the Ron Moore Invitational in the spring.

 

At the Ron Moore Invitational, Schnell led the Husker squad by firing a school and career-record 64 on the opening 18 holes. Schnell finished with a final score of 203 (64-70-69), beating his previous career-low round by five strokes, when he finished with a 208 (73-65-70) at the Pioneer Golf Classic in 2005.

 

Schnell’s low individual round beat his own previous record of 65 when he shot seven-under par at the 2005 Pioneer Golf Classic.

This was Schnell’s fifth tournament of the summer, while he still plans to compete in the US Amateur, the Nebraska Amateur and the Western Amateur.