Defending champion Skip Berkmeyer took the short and long way back to the semifinals of the Metropolitan Match Play championship, Sunday at Old Warson Country Club.

After making short work of Normandie's Joe Molitor 7 and 6, Berkmeyer squared off against close friend Scott Thomas in the day’s longest match in the quarterfinal round.

Berkmeyer advanced with a par at the match’s 21st hole, the par-4 18th at Old Warson, to put an end to a day dominated by cold temperatures, stiff and swirling winds at one of the country's toughest courses.

"I'm beat,” Berkmeyer said, a sentiment echoed by most of the players and officials in the event.

Berkmeyer meets WingHaven's Scott McClellan in Sunday's first semifinal. Fox Run's Darren Lundgren will take on Persimmon Woods' Brian Kennedy in the other semifinal. Winners advance to Sunday's championship match.

“I hit it so well all day, but I had eight three putts in my matches,” Berkmeyer said. “I think I need to go home and get a putting lesson from my wife (former Mizzou women's standout Jamie Tucker Berkmeyer).”

McClellan, a 39-year-old Account Manager for Savvis Communications, advanced to the semifinals in his first trip to the Metropolitan Match Play Championship. The former Hattiesburg (Miss.) City Amateur champion, will be vying for his first significant win since moving to St. Louis four years ago.

“I think I'm going to need some better weather,” McClellan said. “I about wore out my 3-wood and 58 degree wedge today.”

Though not as long as any of the other three semifinalists, McClellan managed to eliminate two Fox Run golfers – Matt Hines (1 up) and Buddy Allen (4 and 2) – with a laser-like short game. “I made a few bombs. I putted really well all day.”

Lundgren, the 2006 Metropolitan Amateur champion, survived two close matches – outlasting Missouri-St. Louis golfer Matt Rau 1 up in the first round, and coming from behind to edge Rau's college coach, Dustin Ashby, 1 up in the quarterfinals.

Kennedy, a 1999 Metropolitan Amateur champion, advanced to the semifinals with a pair of convincing wins – a 2 and 1 win over Gateway National's Phil Caravia and a 3 and 2 advance over Fox Run's Ted Moloney.

2008 Metropolitan Match Play Championship

Old Warson CC – 7,084 yards, par 71

Round 1

Skip Berkmeyer, Norwood Hills def. Joe Molitor, Normandie 7 and 6;

Scott Thomas, Meadowbrook def. Mark Gardiner, Cardinal Creek 3 and 2;

Scott McClellan, WingHaven def. Matt Hines, Fox Run 1 up;

Buddy Allen, Fox Run def. Jack Ehlers, WingHaven 19 holes;

Darren Lundgren, Fox Run def. Matt Rau, Quail Creek 1 up;

Dustin Ashby, WingHaven def. Paul Neeman, Old Hickory 1 up;

Ted Moloney, Fox Run def. Ryan Weinhaus, Meadowbrook 1 up;

Brian Kennedy, Persimmon Woods def. Phil Caravia, Gateway National 2 and 1.

Quarterfinals

Berkmeyer def. Thomas 21 holes;

McClellan def. Allen 4 and 2;

Lundgren def. Ashby 1 up;

Kennedy def. Moloney 3 and 2.