GOLF / U.S. AMATEUR CHAMPIONSHIPS : Woods Reaches Match-Play Round

Tiger Woods, 17, the three-time U.S. junior champion, rode his third eagle in two days to a two-under-par 70 Wednesday for a two-day total of 142 that was good enough to advance to the match play round of 64 at the U.S. Amateur Championships.

Brian Gay of the University of Florida was the medalist as he shot a 70 which gave him a 36-hole total of 139 on the Jackrabbit course at Champions Golf Club.

The cut was three-over 146. Twenty-two players tied at that score competed in a playoff at the end of the day to determine the final 11 spots.

Defending champion Justin Leonard of the University of Texas shot a 69 to finish a stroke behind at 140.

Leonard, who has played in several PGA events, including a fine showing in the U.S. Open this year, had a large following. But Woods had an even bigger gallery.

“I kind of like it because they can help me find the ball,” Woods said.

He didn’t need any help finding his ball on the ninth hole, a 602-yard par-five, where he holed out a sand wedge from 95 yards. A day earlier, he eagled Nos. 9 and 13 at Cypress.

First-day leader Raymond Russell finished 10 strokes off the pace he set on Tuesday, shooting a 77 in the afternoon heat Wednesday. But he still made the cut at 144.

Qualifying at 145 was U.S. public links champion David Berganio, one of three amateurs this year to qualify for the U.S. Open.