McKnight Shoots 137 for Medalist Honors in U.S. Amateur; Meeks Is a Stroke Back

Tom McKnight, reinstated as an amateur in 1984 after his professional golf aspirations failed to materialize, celebrated his 34th birthday Wednesday with a 4-under-par 66 that earned him the qualifying medal in the 88th U.S. Amateur Championship.

McKnight finished at 137 after a 71 Tuesday on The Homestead’s par-72 Lower Cascades Course and his second round on the resort’s Cascades layout.

McKnight took medalist honors by one stroke ahead of Eric Meeks, who holed three shots from off the green en route to a 67 at the Cascades for a 138 total.

“I usually have a pretty good short game, but they don’t usually go in,” said Meeks, 23, of Walnut, Calif., who was an All-American last spring as a senior at Arizona.

One shot behind Meeks in the 291-player field was Oklahoma State sophomore Bob May, who shot a 68 at the Cascades.

Defending U.S. Amateur champion Bill Mayfair of Phoenix shot a 70 at the Cascades and was at 141.

The low 64 scorers from the two days of stroke play advanced to match play today through Sunday to determine the champion. The cutoff score was 148. The 31 golfers at that figure were to come back early this morning for a playoff to determine who would get the nine available spots.