GREENSBORO, N.C. – I admit it. I was just using it to catch your eye. I had no illusions that Kyle Souza had a legitimate chance at qualifying for the Master’s Golf Tournament. After all, he was one of 156 golfers swinging for one spot in the arguably the most prestigious golf tournament in the world at the 85th U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. Then there’s the fact that Souza just finished his sophomore year a little old Chico State. We don’t often get a chance to combine the Master’s and the name of a Chico State athlete in a lead, so it was a no-brainer.
Wait. Did I say one of 156? Make that one of 16. Souza gave himself the chance few thought he could, advancing all the way to the round of 16 in match play before falling 2 and 1 with a berth in the quarterfinals on the line Thursday.
Earlier Thursday, Souza defeated Tim Shepard of Peoria, Ill. 4 and 3 in the second round of match-play competition and was already All Square through five holes with Kevin Phelan of St. Augustine, Fla., in the round of 16. He was one down through nine before four straight bogeys derailed his round. Souza showed his scrap, battling back to win two of the next three holes with consecutive birdies and a par, but a par on the 17th was good for only a halve, giving Phelan the win. The winner of the final earns a slot in the 2011 Masters.
Souza, who came to Chico State from Livermore, earned Second Team All-America honors and led the Wildcats to a third-place finish at the NCAA Division II Championships this spring. He tied for the top spot in a United State Golf Association (USGA) qualifier in June to grab one of 156 spots in the Amateur Public Links Championship. He finished two rounds of stroke play at 4-over Tuesday to grab one of 64 match-play berths, and then won his opening match on Wednesday.
Thursday morning, Souza rolled in 13 pars and a birdie over the course of 15 holes to overwhelm Shepard with his consistency.
Souza was a finalist for the prestigious Palmer Cup this season. Along with All-America recognition, he earned his second straight First Team All-West Region honor earlier this season. Also the California Collegiate Athletic Association (CCAA) Freshman of the Year in 2009, Souza followed up a phenomenal freshman year with an even better sophomore campaign. He notched six top-10 finishes in a dozen events, including a sixth-place showing at the NCAA Championships.
