CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. -- Hilton Head Island High School social studies teacher Todd White defeated Jonathan De Los Reyes of Antioch, Calif., 3 and 1 in the first round of match play on Wednesday to advance to the round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills.

White will face Zack Munroe of Charlotte, N.C., on Thursday. The pair tees off at 11 a.m.

Justin Thomas righted himself after nearly falling out of contention in stroke-play qualifying, and he carried his momentum into the first round.

The 19-year-old Thomas, a member of the golf team at the University of Alabama, beat Barry Dyche of Charlotte, N.C., 3 and 1 to advance.

"It was a well-fought match, but this is the U.S. Amateur and there are no easy matches," said Thomas, whose Alabama teammate, Bobby Wyatt, entered match play as the top seed in the 64-player field after tying the tournament record by shooting a 9-under 132 in the two-day, 36-hole qualifying rounds.

The 20-year-old Wyatt, the runner-up in July's Players Amateur at Berkeley Hall, followed up his medal-winning qualifying effort with a 4-and-2 victory over Taylor Hancock of Clearwater, Fla.

"I didn't play my best today, but I played well enough. I advanced," said Wyatt, who will face Australian Matthew Stieger, a 7-and-5 winner over Jade Scott of Daingerfield, Texas.