Paul Mitzel can’t remember a crazier match.
He and his Round-of-64 opponent, Ryan O’Rear, put on a show Monday at the U.S. Mid-Amateur, held this week at Troon Country Club in Scottsdale, Arizona. The two players each took seven holes of regulation, all but two of them via birdie, and their traded pars at the par-4 18th not only marked just the fourth tied hole of the day but sent the match to extra holes.
“The match was incredible,” Mitzel said. “I’ve played a lot of match play, and I’ve never experienced anything like that. … Not sure I’ll ever experience anything like that again.
“Too bad it had to end that way.”
In the end, Mitzel, a 35-year-old from Seattle, lost in 20 holes to O’Rear.
And the craziest part: Neither player hit a shot on that 20th hole.
Mitzel lost the hole after