Ozark champ plays U.S. Open

John Kelly is the two-time defending Ozark Invitational champ. He fired a 4-under 67 and a 1-under 70 at Westwood Hills Country Club in Poplar Bluff to win by two strokes back in April.

Thursday, Kelly shot a 4-over 74 and was just six strokes off the lead at the 107th U.S. Open at Oakmont, Pa.

Friday, Kelly fired an 84 and missed the cut by eight strokes.

The 100th Missouri Amateur tees off Tuesday with the first round of stroke play. Ben Godwin of Poplar Bluff is the defending champion.

Jefferson City County Club will host the tournament, which started in 1905. The first two days feature stroke play to determine the field. The players are seeded by how they finish then put into a bracket for match play. The final is a 36-hole match Sunday.

Former champions include Tom Watson, who won in 1967 at age 17 and four times in all, and Payne Stewart in 1979.

The tee times are listed at www.mogolf.org.

Brandon Watson, a 25-year-old center fielder for the Triple-A Ottawa Lynx, extended his hitting streak to 42 games Saturday.

It matches a 95-year-old International League record.

Watson is hitting .365 (62-for-170) during the streak, which started May 1.

Ottawa is the Triple-A affilate of the Philadelphia Phillies.