Oklahoma State freshman Morgan Hoffmann was ousted 4 and 3 in a quarterfinal match with New Zealand’s Danny Lee at the par 70 No. 2 Course at Pinehurst Country Club in Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

OSU senior Trent Leon, sophomores Kevin Tway and Rickie Fowler and freshman Peter Uihlein also qualified for match play. Uihlein eliminated Leon Wednesday. Tway and Fowler were both eliminated Thursday afternoon.

Hoffmann missed his first week of college because of the Amateur, and will be back in Stillwater to attend classes on Monday.

“It was kind of nice,” he said. “It’s a good excuse to miss class. But I’m ready to get back with my teammates.”

By Ray Martin

Freshman Morgan Hoffmann won both of his matches 2 and 1 Thursday to advance to this morning’s round, which includes the final eight players at the par 70 No. 2 course at Pinehurst Country Club in Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

Hoffmann tees off at 9:30 a.m. today against New Zealand’s Danny Lee.

“Now I have to represent OSU all by myself,” Hoffmann said. “It’s exciting, but I wish my teammates were still here.”

Hoffmann was one of four Cowboys still in the tournament to start the day. But freshman Peter Uihlein lost his morning match, and sophomores Kevin Tway and Rickie Fowler were eliminated in the afternoon round. Tway lost on the 22nd hole to Louisville’s Derek Fathauer.

Tway is no stranger to USGA events. He won the 2005 U.S. Junior Amateur, and qualified for this year’s U.S. Open.

Hoffmann was one down after six holes, but won the 7th, 8th and 9th holes to go 2 up. The New Jersey native is playing in his third U.S. Amateur. He was eliminated in the opening round of the previous two.

“It’s the biggest stage I’ve played on,” he said. “But I’m really comfortable with the course, and I don’t let anything around me affect the way I play.”

By Ray Martin

Four out of the five Oklahoma State golfers in the United States Amateur advanced to the second round of match play Wednesday at the par 70 Pinehurst No. 2 in Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

All five OSU players might have made it, had two of them not been playing against each other.

Freshman Peter Uihlein beat senior teammate Trent Leon 1 up to advance to today’s second round. The two were all square after 12 holes, but Uihlein won the 13th and the 15th to secure the win.

“It’s hard playing a friend like Trent,” Uihlein said. “And it’s tough beating a teammate like that. He didn’t play particularly well, and I just happened to come out on top.”

Uihlein and Leon have been friends for the better part of a decade. They both went to IMG David Leadbetter Golf Academy in Florida before Leon left for OSU.

Uihlein has yet to attend his first class, as classes started Monday in Stillwater.

“Missing school isn’t so bad, but you’d like to make a good impression on the teachers,” Uihlein said, laughing. “It won’t easy making up all that work.”

Uihlein will tee off against Louisville’s Derek Fathauer today at 6:40 a.m. Fathauer, who made the cut at the U.S. Open in June, won a dramatic match Wednesday over Jhonattan Vegas.

Uihlein’s roommate, fellow freshman Morgan Hoffman also advanced Wednesday, as did sophomore Kevin Tway and Rickie Fowler.

If Uihlein and Tway both win their first round match today, they’ll face each other this afternoon for a chance to advance to the quarterfinals.

UPDATE: Uihlein lost his match this morning in 20 holes. Fowler won 6 and 5, Tway won 3 and 2 and Hoffmann won 2 and 1. Fowler is currently 1 up through his first holes in the afternoon match. Tway is all square and Hoffmann has yet to start.