BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich., Aug. 23 (UPI) -- Bill Haas shot an amazing 7-under 28 on the front nine of one of the most difficult courses in the country Friday and went on to reach the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur Championship with a 5 & 4 victory over John Klauk.
None of the quarterfinal matches reached the 17th hole as America's the oldest golf tournament its field narrowed to the final four.
Haas, 20, son of PGA Tour veteran Jay Haas, will face Ricky Barnes of Stockton, Calif., in Saturday's semifinals. The other semifinal will send Hunter Mahan of McKinney, Texas against Dustin Bray of Asheboro, N.C.
Although short putts are routinely given in match play, the score turned in over the front nine of the Oakland Hills Country Club course was still remarkable. After winning the 1951 U.S. Open over the Oakland Hills course, Ben Hogan dubbed it, "The Monster," and that name has stuck.
The all-time record for nine holes on the PGA Tour is 27.
Haas, 20, a junior at Wake Forest University, was medalist in qualifying.
He will face a tough test in the semifinals since Barnes put on almost as spectacular a show as Haas did Friday.
Barnes shot a 31 on the front nine and won three straight holes in a 4 & 3 victory over 18-year-old Spencer Levin of Elk Grove, Calif. The last of that streak came when Barnes holed his second shot for an eagle at the par-4 sixth, giving him a 4-up lead.
Mahan, trailed during the early portion of his match, but eventually overcame 16-year-old Henry Liaw of Rowland Heights, Calif., 3 & 2.
With both Levin and Liaw eliminated, Tiger Woods will keep his record of being the youngest U.S. Amateur champion in history.
In the last of the quarterfinals, Bray was a 4 & 3 winner over Ryan Moore of Puyallup, Wash.
The winners of Saturday's 18-hole semifinal matches will earn an invitation to next year's Masters. The eventual champion will also receive an exemption to play in next year's U.S. Open.
