Zambri Aces First Test in U.S. Amateur

Defending champion Chris Patton made an early exit from the U. S. Amateur golf championship Thursday, losing the first five holes to Westlake High graduate Chris Zambri and finally succumbing on his opponent’s hole in one, 8 and 6, in the first round of match play at Cherry Hills Country Club.

Zambri, who will be a junior at USC in the fall, parred the first four holes and birdied the fifth to move 5-up. Patton three-putted his first three holes.

Zambri went to 6-up with a par at No. 7, but Patton won the ninth with a par to make the turn at 5-down. The next two holes went to Zambri, with a birdie and par.

Finally, Zambri ended the match in dramatic fashion by sending his five-iron shot on the 204-yard 12th hole into the cup for an ace. Zambri wound up three under par through 12 holes and called it “probably the best day I’ve ever had on a golf course.”

Zambri admitted he was nervous throughout the match.

“There was a big gallery out there and I’ve probably never played before more than 10 people,” he said. “I tried to play every shot and not look ahead. I didn’t want to see the headline: ‘Patton comes back, kid chokes.’ ”

Zambri, 19, who lives in Thousand Oaks, will face USC teammate Bryan Pemberton of Dublin, Calif., in the second round today.

Mitch Voges of Simi Valley was defeated, 3 and 2, by Michael Swingle of Seattle.