FORMER U.S. AMATEUR CHAMP FAILS TO MAKE CUT

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- Matt Kuchar stood on the edge of the 18th green, his back to the Pacific Ocean, and looked skyward. Then he let out a sigh.

Kuchar, the 1997 U.S. Amateur champion and a favorite in this year's event, had just been ousted before reaching match play. He shot a 10-over 81 Tuesday on the Pebble Beach course and missed the cut.

Kuchar, one of the rising stars in golf, was among the leaders after shooting a 73 Monday on the Spyglass Hill course in the first round of stroke play. But he was unable to work out of several tough situations Tuesday.

Kuchar, who on Monday said he enjoyed amateur golf so much he might never turn pro, talked in recent weeks of how much he was looking forward to competing for another amateur title. Now he'll be watching as 64 others move on to match play.

Todd Miller had a much better day, though he lost his caddie while advancing to the match-play portion that begins Wednesday and ends, six rounds later, on Sunday.

Miller, 19, was accompanied around the course by a man who's quite familiar with the Monterey Peninsula -- his father, Johnny Miller, who twice won the AT&T Pro-Am tournament held each year at Pebble Beach.

Miller shot a 4-over 75 Tuesday on Pebble Beach, following his par 72 Monday on Spyglass Hill. His two-round total of 147 easily qualified him for match play.

Johnny Miller won't be able to caddie for his son the rest of the week. He'll be doing TV commentary on the championship -- perhaps passing judgment on his son's shots.

Gene Elliott, president of a heavy machinery company in West Des Moines, Iowa, had the best two-day score, even-par 143.

* Two Southeast Missouri State University golfers competing in the tournament failed to qualify for match play. Playing at Spyglass Tuesday, Jason Owen shot a 74 for a two-day total of 162, while David Fulton carded an 85 for a 168.