FORMBY, MERSEYSIDE, ENGLAND---Two of the three Chattanooga men’s golfers entered in the 125th British Amateur made it through their first round of match play Wednesday at Formby Golf Club in Formby, England near Liverpool.  Stephan Jaeger and Fredrik Qvicker move on while Ben Rickett lost a close match.

Jaeger completed the Mocs threesome’s first match of the day with a 3&2 win over Jonathan Gidney from the United Kingdom.  Qvicker followed with a 3&1 over Billy Hemstock (UK).  Rickett dropped a one up decision to Stiggy Hodgson (UK),

Jaeger will face UK’s Mark Hillson in Thursday’s round of 32 matchup, while Qvicker meets James Byrne, also of the UK.

There will be a new champion in 2009 as defending champ Reinier Saxton of the Netherlands lost his first match to Ignacio Elvira of Spain in 19 holes.  There will be two rounds of match play on Thursday with the quarterfinals and semi-finals played on Friday.  Saturday’s championship match will be 36 holes.

RESULTS:

Round of 64

STEPHAN JAEGER (Germany) def. Jonathan Gidney (UK), 3&2

FREDRIK QVICKER (Sweden) def. Billy Hemstock (UK), 3&1

Stiggy Hodgson (UK) def. BEN RICKETT (UK), 1 up

SCHEDULE:

Round of 32

STEPHAN JAEGER (Germany) vs. Mark Hillson (UK), 3:20 a.m. (EDT)

FREDRIK QVICKER (Sweden) vs. James Byrne (UK), 4:33 a.m. (EDT)