Ben Warnquist (Rockville) and Andrew Lister (Haymarket) fell in the round of 16 at the U.S. Junior Amateur Thursday, but Denny McCarthy (Burtonsville) has advanced to Friday’s quarterfinals at Egypt Valley Country Club in Ada, Mich.

McCarthy notched two big wins Thursday, taking down medalist Curtis Thompson, 3 and 2, in a match he never trailed in the morning. McCarthy, a senior at Georgetown Prep, then came from a two-hole deficit to defeat Devon Purser of Clearfield, Utah, 1 up.

In the round of 16 match, McCarthy overcame three double bogeys in a span of four holes and a 43 on the front nine. The key stretch of the back came as McCarthy won No. 14 (birdie), No. 15 (par), and No. 16 (par) to go from 1 down to 1 up.

In his upset of Thompson, a Floridian who was playing in his fourth U.S. Junior Am, McCarthy hit approach shots on eight straight holes inside 20 feet. Thompson is the older brother of teen phenom Alexis Thompson, the 2008 U.S. Girls Junior Am champion.

“People asked me if I was intimidated and I wasn’t at all,” McCarthy told USGA correspondent Andrew Blair. “Match play is a completely different story from stroke play. The circumstances are different and it’s a different kind of golf. Anything can happen in match play. I went out there, hit fairways and greens, and gave myself good looks.”

Thompson wasn’t the only upset victim in the round of 32. Defending champion Jordan Spieth, bidding to become the first repeat winner since three-time champion Tiger Woods (1991-93), lost to Robbie Shelton, a 14-year-old from Wilmer, Ala. Wilmer then beat Lister in the round of 16, despite trailing, 2 down, on the front nine.  

Next up for McCarthy is Richard Jung of Canada, who is playing in his second U.S. Junior Am. Jung, seeded No. 8, eliminated Warnquist Thursday afternoon, 3 and 2. Jung also defeated Richmond standout Adam Ball in the first round of match play, 3 and 2. None of Jung’s matches have lasted more than 16 holes. He has played the three match-play rounds in 4-under-par, while McCarthy has played his in 5-over.

The winner of the McCarthy-Jung match will play either Scott Wolfes, a 17-year-old from St. Simons Island, Ga. who is bound for Georgia Southern, or Justin Thomas, a 17-year-old from Goshen, Ky. who is bound for the University of Alabama.

Thompson wasn’t the only upset victim in the round of 32. Defending champion Jordan Spieth, bidding to become the first repeat winner since three-time champion Tiger Woods (1994-96), lost to Robbie Shelton, a 14-year-old from Wilmer, Ala. Wilmer then beat Lister in the round of 16, 3 and 1, despite trailing, 2 down, on the front nine.