Branton falls to Chestnut in Round of 64 at USGA Mid-Amateur Championship

Local golfer Chad Branton was eliminated Monday in the opening round of match play at the U.S.G.A. Mid-Amateur Championship at Colorado Golf Club in Aurora, Colorado. Branton lost 2-up to Jimmy Chestnut of Royal Oak, Michigan.

Photo: USGA Chad Branton (left) shakes hands with Jimmy Chestnut following their match Monday at the USGA Mid-Amateur Championship at Colorado Golf Club in Aurora, Colorado.

Branton made his way into the Round of 64 by shooting even par in stroke play portion of the championship on Saturday and Sunday.

In Monday’s match, the two players matched birdies on the opening hole and both made bogey on the 508-yard par-4 fourth. They exchanged birdies on No. 6 and No. 7 and after both made par at No. 8, the match remained tied. Chestnut went 1-up on No. 9 with a par, but Branton won holes 11 and 12 to take his only lead of the day. Chestnut won No. 13 with a par and birdied the par-4 14th to regain the lead at 1-up. Chestnut went 2-up with a birdie on the par-5 16th, but Branton stayed alive by winning the par-3 17th with a par. Chestnut then closed out the match by winning No. 18 with a par.

Chestnut advances to the Round of 32 where he will meet Joseph Deraney in a match scheduled for 8:10 a.m. MDT.

Branton shot 68-74 during stroke play Saturday and Sunday at CommonGround Golf Course and Colorado Golf Club and was seeded 22nd heading into match play.