MGA: Massachusetts Golf Association IllustrationIllustration

News Release

For Immediate Release: August 19, 2004

Headline: Vana's Run at the 2004 U.S. Amateur Championship Comes to an End

Mamaroneck, NY– Frank Vana's bid to win the 2004 U.S. Amateur Championship came to an end this afternoon when he was defeated, 2 & 1, to Spencer Levin, a rising star who is best known for capturing low amateur honors at the 2004 U.S. Open Championship.

Vana, who defeated Andrew Medley in the Round of 64, battled throughout the match but could not put away the feisty Levin and thus earn a bid to the Round of 16. Earlier this summer, Levin, a junior at the University of New Mexico, captured the 93rd California Golf Association State Amateur Championship at historic Pebble Beach. He then went on to finish T-13 at the U.S. Open.

On Thursday morning, the two players remained all square until Vana registered a birdie on the 321-yard, par 4 5th hole to take a 1 Up lead. Vana drained a 15-foot uphill birdie putt on that hole, while Levin could not escape from the deep rough just to the right of the green en route to his bogey. After exchanging leads through the next three holes, Levin jumped out to what appeared to be a commanding 2 Up lead following a remarkable birdie on the 11th hole where his 196-yard approach shot hit the flagstick and fell an inch past the hole.

Vana battled back, however, with a par of his own on the 640-yard, par 5 12th hole and then a clutch birdie on the par 3 13th hole. Showing no signs of a letdown, Levin delivered one of his best shots of the day on the 14th hole – a lengthy approach shot that landed just feet from the hole. Vana, whose shot just missed the green to the right, was unable to get up and down from the bunker and fell to 1 Down. After increasing his lead to 2 Up, Levin stepped onto the 17th tee needing only to halve the hole for victory.

Vana piped his drive down the center of the fairway but his approach shot landed just left the green in the deep rough and he was unable to win that hole. This year marks the second time in his career that Vana has advanced to the second round of match play at the U.S. Amateur Championship.

About the U.S. Amateur Championship:
The U.S. Amateur Championship was born in 1895 and is the oldest golf championship in this country — one day older than the U.S. Open. Except for an eight-year period, from 1965-72, when it was stroke play, the Amateur has been a match-play championship. Throughout its history, the U.S. Amateur has been the most coveted of all amateur titles. Many of the great names of professional golf, such as Gene Littler, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lanny Wadkins, Craig Stadler, Jerry Pate, Mark O’Meara, Hal Sutton, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, grace the Havemeyer Cup.