Brent Paladino Upsets Defending Champion at APL

Junior Advances to Second Round of Match Play, 2 and 1

07/12/07 11:02AM

WHEATON, ILL - Rising junior Brent Paladino (Kensington, Conn.) advanced to the second round of the U.S. Amateur Public Links this morning by upsetting defending champion Casey Watabu of Hawai’i 2 and 1.

Advancing from stroke play as the 35-seed, Paladino took an early lead on the 395-yard fourth, making par to go one-up. After Watabu evened the match on the sixth, the pair remained locked at all-square until the 12th, with Watabu making birdie to take his only lead of the match. Paladino fought back to all-square on the 13th, and took the lead and the match by winning both the 16th and 17th holes.

Next up for Paladino is the tournament’s 62-seed, Kevin Foley of New Jersey. Foley upset third-seeded Eddie Olson of California in his first-round matchup, 2 and 1.