Oliver Goss earns US Masters berth despite losing US Amateur matchplay final

Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick defeats Australian Oliver Goss in the 2013 US Amateur match play final.

Englishman Matthew Fitzpatrick has defeated Australian Oliver Goss 4-and-3 in the 36-hole matchplay final of the prestigious US Amateur tournament.

Goss was aiming to become only the third Australian – alongside Walter J. Travis and Nick Flanagan – to put their name on the US Amateur trophy. Previous winners includes names such as Francis Ouimet, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and three-time champion, Tiger Woods.

Goss eventually went down to Fitzpatrick – who was low amateur at The Open Championship last month – but by making the final both players have earned invitations to the 2014 US Masters and the 2014 US Open.

The event was a successful one for Australia and a sign that Golf Australia is doing great things for the development of our best young golfers.

Three Australians made the round of 16 matches of the 2013 US Amateur Championship amd Oliver Goss and Brady Watt won through to the semi-final which saw four non-Americans playing for a shot at the final for the first ever time in the history of the event.

The macth between the Aussies recalled their exciting duel at the 2012 WA Open that saw Goss prevail after five playoff holes.

Goss outlasted Watt once again by winning 2up but in a sign of how close the two are, Watt carried the bag for Goss during the 36-hole final.

“It just didn’t quite work out.” Goss said.

“I couldn’t get any momentum going. It seemed like every time I got a hole back, he would just get one right back the next hole. I just didn’t play solid enough for him. He was always just one in front of me. I seemed to be close but just not close enough.”