Staff report
Medalist Keith Dorsett looks like the golfer to beat in the 29th Horace Billings Rowan Amateur Championship today at Corbin Hills Club.
Dorsett, who captured the qualifying medal with a sub-par score, ripped par apart as he advanced to the tourney semifinals with a pair of impressive victories Saturday.
At the same time, defending champion Randy Bingham was eliminated.
Bingham, who was looking for his fifth Rowan Amateur title, defeated Steve Gegorek 7 and 6 in the second round but bowed out to Thad Sprinkle 6 and 5 in the quarterfinals.
Sprinkle turned back Ryan Honeycutt 3 and 1 to set up his match with Bingham.
Dorsett kept the birdies flying. He had 12 in his two wins.
He had five birdies in a 5 and 3 victory over Adam Jordan in the second round and made seven more in a 6 and 5 win over Stan Honeycutt in the quarterfinals.
Honeycutt scored a 6 and 5 win over Michael Dorsett to set up his match with the medalist.
Honeycutt scored a hole-in-one on the 196-yard par-3 fifth hole in his loss to Dorsett. He used a 5 iron.
“I played well and made a lot of birdies,” said Dorsett, who recently won the Rowan Masters at the Warrior Club for the fourth time in five years. “I just hope to keep playing well.”
Dorsett will face Ronnie Eidson in the semifinals today at 8:06 a.m. The finals will start at about 12:30 p.m.
Eidson played 4-under-par golf in a 6 and 4 win over Terry Mulkey and recorded three birdies in a 5 and 3 decision over Mallory McDaniel.
McDaniel advanced with a 5 and 4 win over Kip Honeycutt in the third round.
Sprinkle will face Dusty Holder in the other semifinal bout.
Holder eliminated six-time tourney champ Gary Miller 1-up in the quarterfinals. Holder held a 3-up lead at one time, and Miller closed the gap to one hole at the finish.
Holder went on to edge David Boger by 1-up. He also got the decision on the 18th hole with a birdie.
Boger reached the quarterfinals with a 2 and 1 win over Max Galang.
nFollowing are Saturday’s results and today’s pairings for the Rowan Amateur Golf Tournament:
Randy Bingham over Steve Gegorek, 7and 6; Thad Sprinkle over Ryan Honeycutt, 2 and 1; Dusty Holder over Gary Miller, 1-up; David Boger over Max Galang, 2 and 1.
Sprinkle over Bingham, 6 and 5; Holder over Boger, 1-up.
Keith Dorsett over Adam Jordan, 5 and 3; Stan Honeycutt over Michael Dorsett, 6 and 5; Mallory McDaniel over Kip Honeycutt, and 4; Ronnie Eidson over Terry Mulkey, 6 and 4.
Dorsett over Honeycutt, 6 and 5; Eidson over McDaniel, 5 and 3.
Pairings: Sprinkle vs. Holder, Dorsett vs. Eidson. Winners to meet for championship.