Defending Champion Leonard Is Upset in U.S. Amateur Golf

Defending champion Justin Leonard and medalist Brian Gay were upset in the quarterfinals of the rain-interrupted U.S. Amateur golf championship Saturday.

Leonard lost to Walker Cup teammate John Harris, 2 and 1, and Danny Ellis beat Gay, 3 and 2, at the Champions Golf Club.

Play was delayed 4 hours 31 minutes because of rain and lightning. On Friday, there was a five-hour delay. The delays forced the USGA to push the 36-hole final to Monday.

Leonard was 1-up at the turn, but Harris won the 14th with a par, then took the lead for good with a birdie three at 15. Harris had advanced by defeating another Walker Cup teammate, David Berganio Jr. of Sylmar, 3 and 2, in the third round.

Harris’ semifinal opponent will be Bobby Cochran or Notah Begay III. Their match was suspended by darkness with Cochran leading, 1-up, after 12 holes.

Ellis took control against Gay when he won four of five holes midway through the match, three with birdies. Ellis had advanced to the quarterfinals earlier in the day when he eliminated Kevin King, 4 and 3.

The victory over Gay sent Ellis into today’s semifinals. He’ll meet John Curley, who upset two-time U.S. Amateur champion Jay Sigel in 19 holes, then took the first four holes against David Boesel en route to an easy 7 and 6 victory.