Gunn Yang of San Diego State holed a four-foot birdie putt on the 19th hole to turn back Frederick Wedel of Pepperdine in the semifinals of the 114th United States Amateur Championship on the Highlands Course at Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Ga.
Yang, a sophomore from South Korea who played at Torrey Pines High, will play in Sunday’s 36-hole final against Corey Connors of Kitchener, Ontario, Canada, who defeated Denny McCarthy of Rockville, Md., 1 up in the other semifinal.
“Frederick was just playing just so well today,” said Yang, who held a 1-up lead on the 18th hole before hitting into the water to force the playoff. “I had to keep up with him all the time to be all-square. I was 2-down, and I had to go back to like 1-down and stuff. I had to play my best, and it paid off. It was a heck of a day. There were lots of up and downs.
“I’ve been just trying to work on my game with my coach, Glen Daugherty, and he’s been helping me out a lot. He’s teaching at the Grand Golf Club in San Diego, and I’m also a member there. Whenever I’m not taking lessons but hitting balls on the range, he comes out and checks my swing out for like 15 minutes.”
Yang and Connors earned spots in the Masters and the U.S. Open next year at Chambers Bay.
