Mocs Golfer Garrett Engle Falls in Round of 16 at U.S. Amateur

(gomocs.com) CHATTANOOGA—Chattanooga Mocs senior Garrett Engle reached the round of 16 at the United States Amateur today at Hazeltine National in Chaska, Minn. He won his morning match against Arizona’s Zach Pollo 2&1 before an afternoon defeat to Iowa’s Noah Kent.

It started with a round of 32 matchup with Pollo. Engle got the early lead winning at two and five for the 2up advantage. Pollo got one back at the par 5 seventh before Engle got it back on nine making the turn 2up.

Pollo immediately levelled the score winning at 10 and 11 with a birdie and a par. The pair halved the next four holes before Engle’s birdie at 16 gave him the lead again. He closed it out with par winning 17 for the 2&1 tally.

That set up an afternoon date with Kent. Kent also won his first match of the day 2&1 over Tom Fischer from Ole Miss. The afternoon did not get off to a good start.

After trading hole wins over the first few holes, Kent won five of the next eight to take a 5up lead through 11 holes. True to form, Engle did not wilt. He cut the lead to four at 13.

The two halved 14 making the match dormie. Engle won 15 to get the margin to three. That was the end of the comeback bid. Kent birdied 16 to end it 4&2.

“Really proud of G this week,” Coach Blaine Woodruff shared. “He made a name for himself on a national stage and represented himself and the program with pride. Making the final 16 in golf’s most prestigious amateur event is no small feat. I think it’s a great synopsis of the summer that he’s had winning the Dogwood and finishing 2nd at the Porter Cup.

“He’s contending week in and week out, and it’s attributed to the work he’s put into his game both physically and mentally. Looking forward to getting him and the rest of the guys back here in the Scenic City to start competing again as a group.”