Thorbjorsen delivers big rally, needs another in US Amateur

Michael Thorbjornsen made five straight birdies to win his first match and needed another big comeback in the second round of a U.S. Amateur that faced more delays Thursday.

Only three of the 16 second-round matches at Oakmont finished before play was suspended for the second time because of storms in the area. The first delay was for just under an hour.

Thorbjornsen, a former U.S. Junior Amateur winner, was 3 down with six holes to play against William Hott when the Stanford sophomore ran off five birdies in a row.

It started with an 18-foot birdie putt on the 13th hole. He won the next two with wedges into about 5 feet, and then hit 4-iron to 3 feet on the par-3 16th. Thorbjornsen closed out the match, 2 and 1, with a bunker shot on the reachable par-4 17th had hit the pin and settled 8 feet away.

But the 19-year-old from Massachusetts was in trouble late in the second round against Nick Gabrelcik, who birdied the 15th and 16th holes before the storms arrived. Gabrelcik was 2 up with two holes left when the round was to resume Friday morning.

At least Thorbjorsen reached the second round.

Mark Goetz, the medalist in qualifying to become the No. 1 seed for match play, grew up some 40 miles away and had plenty to cheer when he was 3 up with four holes to play.

David Nyfgall of Sweden then flipped the match by winning the next four holes — his only birdie was on No. 18 — for a 1-up victory.

Nyfgall only qualified by winning a 12-way playoff for the final spot in match play. Nyfgall was tied through 20 holes with Florida star Ricky Castillo when play was stopped.

Eddie Lai took down second-seeded Brian Ma, 4 and 2. Travis Vick, the No. 4 seed, beat Preston Summerhays, 4 and2.

The plan was to resume the second round Friday. The original schedule was for the second and third rounds to be played Thursday, with the quarterfinals Friday.