Alex Fitzpatrick prevails in play-off double to inch closer to US Amateur history

Alex Fitzpatrick, left, who is now in the US Amateur last eight, congratulates his brother Matt, right, for winning the title five years ago when he served as his caddy (Picture: USGA)

Fitzpatrick, 19, the younger brother of former US Amateur champion Matt, won two matchplay rounds in sudden-death on Thursday to set up a quarter-final with American Cole Hammer which begins at 11pm BST on Friday.

Hallamshire Golf Club member Fitzpatrick, first needed 20 holes to overcome Argentina’s Jesus Montenegro in the last 32 on Thursday.

In a rollercoaster encounter, Fitzpatrick – who as a 14-year-old caddied for Matt when he won this event in 2013 at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts – won the first and seventh but lost the fourth, sixth and ninth to find himself one down at the turn.

He won the 12th and 14th but lost the 15th and 17th before a par on the last was enough to take the tie to extra holes.

The trip back up the first resulted in a half in pars, but when Montenegro bogeyed the second, another par saw Fitzpatrick through to the last 16.

He then made it through the next round by beating American McClure Meissner after 19 holes.

In another tightly-fought contest, the round was all square by the turn, both players winning two holes.

Meissner quickly moved to one up on the 10th hole but Fitzpatrick again levelled by the 15th and birdied the 16th to move to one up. That lead did not last long, however, as Meissner parred the next and Fitzpatrck had a bogey. But a Meissner bogey and a par handed the win to Fitzpatrick, who finished with a bogey and birdie on the 18th and 19th.

Fitzpatrick, who takes up a shcolarship at Wake Forrest in September, was one of only two Europeans to make the last eight.