▁was ▁a ▁quarter - final ist . ▁He ▁beat ▁Malays ian ▁gol fer ▁Ben ▁Le ong ▁ 5 – 3 ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round . ▁But ▁he ▁lost ▁in ▁the ▁second ▁round ▁of ▁match ▁play ▁to ▁stroke - play ▁medal ist ▁Billy ▁Hor sch el , ▁ 3 ▁and ▁ 1 . ▁ ▁Mer kow ▁won ▁the ▁August ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁U . S . ▁Am ateur ▁qual ifier ▁at ▁Hart land ' s ▁Ch ene qua ▁Country ▁Club ▁with ▁scores ▁of ▁ 6 6 ▁and ▁ 6 4 , ▁for ▁a ▁ 1 2 - under ▁ 1 3 0 . ▁Later ▁than ▁month ▁he ▁played ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 0 7 th ▁U . S . ▁Am ateur ▁at ▁The ▁Olympic ▁Club ▁in ▁San ▁Francisco , ▁where ▁he ▁shot ▁two ▁back - to - back ▁under - 2 ▁r ounds ▁of ▁ 6 9 ▁to ▁make ▁the ▁round ▁of ▁ 6 4 , ▁and ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁just ▁four ▁golf ers ▁to ▁put ▁up ▁sub - par ▁numbers ▁in ▁stroke ▁play , ▁but ▁was ▁elimin ated ▁in ▁the ▁first ▁round ▁of ▁match ▁play . ▁Because ▁stroke ▁play ▁tot als ▁don ' t ▁affect ▁match ▁play ▁results , ▁Mer kow ▁had ▁observed : ▁" There ▁are ▁two ▁tournament s ▁this ▁week . ▁Any body ▁who ' s ▁in ▁the ▁top ▁ 6 4 ▁can ▁win . ▁It ▁starts ▁over ▁tom orrow ." ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁he ▁lost ▁to ▁Br end an ▁G iel ow ▁ 3 –