Aug. 22, 2006

Mizzou senior John Kelly has advanced to the match play round of the United States Amateur Championships, finishing 25th after 36 holes of stroke play. He will open match play on Wednesday against Daryl Fathauer at 9:10 a.m. at Hazeltine National Golf Club.

After an even-par 71 in Monday's opening round at Chaska Town Course, Kelly shot a 74 at Hazeltine on Tuesday for a two-round total of 145, finishing in 25th place in the 312-player field.

Malnati turned in rounds of 76 at Chaska and 74 at Hazeltine for a two-day total of 150, placing 108th in the field.

The top 64 players advance to the match play portion of the Championship, beginning on Wednesday. Much like a tennis tournament or NCAA basketball, players are seeded according to how they played during stroke play to establish a match play bracket. The championship match is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 27. All matches are 18 holes except for the 36-hole championship match.

Kelly, a senior from St. Louis, qualified for the U.S. Amateur by carding a two-round total of 141 at Sunnyside Country Club in Waterloo, Iowa. Malnati, a sophomore from Dandridge Tenn., had a 36-hole score of 138 on the Willow Creek Golf Club in Knoxville, Tenn. to qualify.

If Kelly wins on Wednesday, he will play at 8 a.m. on Thursday.

The U.S. Amateur champion receives an exemption into the 2007 U.S. Open and British Open and a probable invitation to play in the 2007 Masters Tournament.