MAMARONECK, N.Y. - NCAA champion Ryan Moore and Spencer Levin were among 32 golfers who advanced with match-play victories Wednesday at the U.S. Amateur.
Moore, who also won the U.S. Amateur Public Links and the Western Amateur this year, never trailed and won 4 and 2 over Clint Deibert of Doylestown, Pa. Moore, 21, is from Puyallup, Wash.
Levin, the low amateur at the U.S. Open who tied for 13th, registered a 3-and-1 win over Mike Lane of Citrus Heights, Calif.
Moore, who has been at par or better in 39 of his last 41 rounds of stroke play, said the U.S. Amateur is the event he wants most.
"This is the one I'm gunning for and I think I've given myself a pretty good chance," said Moore, who made the cut at the 2003 Masters. "My game has been really solid since last October."
Levin, from Elk Grove, Calif., and a junior at New Mexico, won three of the first four holes and held his margin throughout against Lane.
"New York has been good to me this summer," said Levin, referring to his U.S. Open finish at Shinnecock Hills on Long Island and his win in the Porter Cup amateur tournament in Buffalo. "Hopefully, I can keep it going.
"I feel like I'm playing pretty good, but Ryan Moore is going to be awfully tough to beat. I've got a lot of other guys I've got to beat if I want to play him, so we'll see."
Play continues today at Winged Foot Golf Club with the second and third rounds of match play. Single rounds are scheduled Friday and Saturday, with a 36-hole final on Sunday.
In the longest match Wednesday, Madalitso Muthiya of Zambia eliminated Michael Thompson of Tucson, Ariz., on the 20th hole.
