Hodge Falls in Round 3 of U.S. Amateur

CHASKA, Minn. – Jonathan Hodge, the first University of Tennessee at Chattanooga golfer to play in the U.S. Amateur, was eliminated in his third round match by British phenom Oliver Fisher.

After bogeying the opening hole, Hodge trailed for the first time in the championship. An Oliver birdie at the second left Hodge 2 down and having to make up ground against one of the finest young players in the world.

Hodge played the next three holes bogey-birdie-bogey and found himself 3 down after five holes. An Oliver birdie at the eighth made the margin four and left Hodge with no room for error. Hodge managed a birdie at the 11th hole, a 606 yard, par-5, but Oliver birdied also to have the hole. That came in a stretch of five consecutive holes which were halved by the duo, leaving Hodge dormie with five to play. Hodge had no choice but to try to birdie the remaining five holes to force extra holes. An aggressive play on 14 left Hodge with bogey and a 5 and 4 loss.

“I am so proud of what Jonathan has accomplished this week” said UTC coach Mark Guhne. “The confidence that a player gets from playing well against an elite field can pay dividends for months, if not longer. I know that this spring when we are at the Southern Conference championships or later at the NCAA regionals that Jonathan can draw from this experience.”

Oliver, they youngest player to ever play in the Walker Cup, was runner-up at this year’s English Amateur.

Hodge may have been the first UTC golfer to play in the U. S. Amateur, but he is not the first to reach the final 16 of a national amateur championship. Teammate Ben Rickett made the final 16 in the English Amateur last month.

UTC opens its golf season by hosting the Scenic City Invitational at The Honors Course September 14-15.