Tulane's Wheeler Falls in Match Play at U.S. Public Links Green Wave Junior Defeated 2 and 1

Chris Wheeler

After qualifying second after 36 holes of stroke play at the United States Amateur Public Links Championship, Tulane junior Chris Wheeler fell 2 and 1 to Timothy Kane of Simsbury, Conn. on the first day of match play at the par 71 Blue Heron Pines Golf Club in Galloway, N.J., on Wednesday.

Wheeler, 20, of Allen, Texas, was down two strokes with one hole left after firing rounds of 66 and 73 on the first two days of the competition. The field was trimmed from 156 to 64 after stroke play but Wheeler, playing in his first U.S. Public Links Championship, could not advance.

Wheeler completed a stellar sophomore year at Tulane in April with his second consecutive first team All-Conference USA selection. The Allen, Texas product compiled a stroke average of 72.1 in 2002-03 to lead the Green Wave.