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Golfweek/amateurgolf.com Amateur Rankings
As part of
Golfweek’s Amateur Blog, we’ll bring you a weekly roundup of players who’ve made big moves in the
Golfweek/amateurgolf.com Amateur Rankings:
• World No. 2
Rickie Fowler had a chance to reclaim the No. 1 spot from Englishman
Luke Goddard, but with rounds of 72-73 he missed the cut at the PGA Tour’s Traveler’s Championship.
•
Zach Sucher of Mobile, Ala., continues his push for a spot on the Walker Cup team and has moved up to World No. 5.
In the past week’s points tournaments:•
Dan Woltman of Beaver Falls, Wis., won the Northeast Amateur to move to No. 27 in the World rankings.
•
James Byrne of Scotland won the East of Scotland Amateur to move to No. 77.
•
Brooks Koepka of Wellington, Fla., had a record-setting performance at the Rice Planters Amateur that moved him to No. 110.
•
Justin Yoder of Warrensburg, Mo., won the Greystone Invitational to move to World No. 346.
•
Mitchell Evanecz of Canada won the Glencoe Invitational in Calgary to move to World No. 429.
•
Chris Kessler of Scottsdale, Ariz., won the Trans-Mississippi Championship to move to World No. 527.
– Pete Wlodkowski, amateurgolf.comPosted June 26
One of the more impressive performances in state amateurs this past week came at the Florida State Amateur at TPC Sawgrass. Blayne Barber, a sophomore-to-be at Central Florida, won the tournament by nine shots, shooting 11-under 277 (67-69-71-70) to win by nine shots. Barber’s final three rounds were played at TPC Sawgrass’ Players Stadium Course. He played the first round at Sawgrass Country Club.
Barber tied for seventh at this year’s NCAA Division I Men’s Championship, and was the a member of the national all-freshman team. He was also the Conference USA player and freshman of the year.
– Sean Martin
Posted June 30
Cal Poly senior-to-be Geoff Gonzalez got a little revenge on Lake Merced Golf Club in the California Amateur this past week. Gonzalez played the NCAA Division I West Regional at Lake Merced earlier this year; competing as an individual, Gonzalez tied for 57th in the 74-player field.
At the California Amateur, Gonzalez swept the stroke- and match-play portions of the tournament, becoming the 12th player to do so. Gonzalez shared medalist honors with Cal State-Northridge’s Nick Delio, the defending champion.
Delio advanced to the semis before losing to Jeff Wilson, who was looking to add his first state amateur to a sterling resume. Wilson is a three-time medalist at the U.S. Mid-Amateur and four-time U.S. Open participant.
– Sean Martin
Posted June 30
Matt Hill, the North Carolina State sophomore who won this year’s NCAA men’s individual title, will test his game this week against Tiger Woods and the PGA Tour at the AT&T National.
The Ontario native will also get to play against the pros in his country’s national championship. He and fellow Canuck Nick Taylor, the low amateur at this year’s U.S. Open, received sponsor exemptions into the RBC Canadian Open July 23-26.
– Adam Schupak
Posted June 30
Washington State’s Austin Hurt appeared to be out of contention at the Washington Amateur Championship after firing a 9-over 81 in his first round.
Hurt was 13 shots off the lead after the first round, but he battled back over the next three days, shooting 69-69-65 to edge Drew Reinland of Walla Walla High School by one shot.
Hurt’s 65 was a new course record at Palouse Ridge Golf Club. He entered the final round nine shots behind the leader, but he got within striking distance after a chip-in eagle on the par-5 9th, which capped off a front-nine 32. He kept things going on the back nine, making three more birdies to finish at 4-under 284 for the tournament.
– D.J. Piehowski
Posted June 30
The next five days will have a huge bearing on this year’s Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team.
The European Men’s Team Championship takes place at Conwy, Wales from June 30 to July 4. Eighteen members of the 26-man GB&I squad are in action as 20 teams battle it out in North Wales to become champions of Europe.
GB&I captain Colin Dalgleish and his team of selectors will be out in force as they try to whittle the squad down to the 10 players to take on the United States at Merion, September 12-13.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 29
Walker Cup candidates Mike Van Sickle and Zack Sucher will get a chance to test their games against the pros after receiving sponsor exemptions to the John Deere Classic.
Van Sickle (Marquette) and Sucher (UAB) finished their eligibility earlier this year, but are postponing their pro career in an attempt to represent the U.S. in the Walker Cup.
Other sponsor exemptions into this year’s Deere, which will be held July 9-12, went to Michigan State’s Jack Newman, the ‘08 U.S. Amateur Public Links champ, and Arizona State’s Philip Francis. Kyle Stanley, making his pro debut at this week’s Travelers Championship, also is in the field.
– Sean Martin
Posted June 26
As part of
Golfweek’s Amateur Blog, we’ll bring you a weekly roundup of players who’ve made big moves in the
Golfweek/amateurgolf.com Amateur Rankings:
• Matteo Manassero, a 16-year-old from Italy, moved up to World No. 10 after a historic double at the British Amateur, taking medalist honors and then winning the title.
Not only did he defeat No. 3
Sam Hutsby in the final, he became the youngest player to win the British Amateur, and will be the youngest player to compete in the Masters (Tommy Aaron was just over 17 when he played in 1952).
At the U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, Canadian
Nick Taylor earned low amateur honors and moved up to World No. 4, while
Drew Weaver of High Point, N.C., made the cut and moved up to No. 40. (The 2007 British Amateur champ’s spirited play at Bethpage likely caught the eye of U.S. Walker Cup captain Buddy Marucci.)
• Kyle Stanley of Gig Harbor, Wash., also made the cut and then turned professional after the tournament. His name will be removed from the amateur rankings after being in the top 5 for much of the year.
In other tournaments:
• Englishman
Farren Keenan repeated at the Berkshire Trophy to move up to World No. 70. Keenan played at the University of Texas.
•
Bo Hoag of Upper Arlington, Ohio, won the Monroe Invitational and moved to No. 75. Hoag is a junior-to-be at Ohio State.
•
James Byrne of Scotland won the Tennant Cup to move to No. 109. Byrne is a junior-to-be at Arizona State.
•
Travis Woolf of Fort Worth, Texas, won the Southwestern Amateur and moved to No. 122. Woolf is a senior-to-be at TCU.
•
Derek Chang of Alpharetta, Ga., won the Southeastern Amateur and moved to No. 182. Chang is a sophomore-to-be at Minnesota.
– Pete Wlodkowski, amateurgolf.com
Posted June 26
RUMFORD, R.I. – Talk about making the most of an opportunity. That’s exactly what Bud Cauley did during the first two rounds this week at the Northeast Amateur at Wannamoisett Country Club.
As a freshman this past season at Alabama, Cauley earned second-team All-American honors and was a member of the U.S. Palmer Cup team. He tied for first at the U.S. Collegiate Championship and had T-5s at the Southeastern Conference Championship, Isleworth and the Ping/
Golfweek Preview. In 2008, he won the Terra Cotta Invitational.
He certainly is in the mix to land a spot on this year’s 10-man U.S. Walker Cup team.
He no doubt enhanced those Walker Cup hopes early on at the Northeast Am after being paired for the first two rounds with U.S. captain Buddy Marucci.
That could be pretty intimidating for a young player knowing the man in charge is watching each and every one of your shots. Easily, it was a test of nerves.
And, just as easily, Cauley passed with flying colors. He shot an opening round 1-under-par 68 and followed with a 4-under 65 to stand at 5-under 134 at the halfway point and in second place, just two shots off the lead.
“It was a lot of fun,” Cauley said. “Buddy was great. He really made me feel comfortable out there. I know he’s the Walker Cup captain and there’s nothing I would like more than to be on that team this year, but I really wasn’t nervous. I’m just happy I was able to play well those two days.”
– Ron Balicki
Posted June 26
RUMFORD, R.I. – The par-4 second hole at Wannamoisett Country Club has long been considered one of the toughest – if not the toughest – holes on the course.
It’s listed as the No. 3 handicap hole on the club’s scorecard, but most members consider it top-ranked as far as difficulty.
During last year’s Northeast Amateur, which annually attracts one of the strongest fields on the amateur circuit, No. 2 ranked as the event’s most difficult with a stroke average of 4.321.
So what does Wannamoisett do? It makes the hole even tougher.
As part of some big-time course renovations, the club stretched the second hole by some 35 yards to 505 yards. And it’s still a par-4, although there’s plenty of players at this year’s tournament who would dispute that.
When the starting field of 84 players completed their opening rounds, the average score at No. 2 was 4.488. There were 46 pars, 32 bogeys and five double bogeys. Only one birdie was recorded, that by defending champion Brenden Gielow, who sank a 15-foot putt for his 3.
“If you don’t hit the fairway (off the tee) chances are you are not going to get to the green in regulation,” said former Northeast Amateur champion Todd White.
“It would make for a very nice par-5,” added Carlton Forrester.
And consider this, with the green – normally one of the fastest and most severe on the course – soft and slow due to recent rains, the hole probably played as easy as it’s going to all week.
All I can say is wait until Saturday’s final round. If the rain stays away and the sun comes out, a lot of players are going to be talking to themselves as they make their way to the third tee.
– Ron Balicki
Posted June 24
RUMFORD, R.I. – Nathan Smith, the 2003 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, gave his opening round at the 48th Northeast Amateur a big boost Wednesday when he made an eagle-2 at the 372-yard, par-4 fifth hole at Wannamoisett Country Club.
After cutting the corner off the dogleg right shaped hole with his tee shot, Smith faced a 70-yard shot from the middle of the fairway.
“I hit my 60 degree (wedge) from an uphill lie and into the wind,” Smith said. “The ball bounced once and dropped in. It was sure a nice way to jump start the round.”
Smith, who finished second at last year’s Northeast Amateur, went on to shoot 3-under 66.
Smith, who is among the few serious mid-amateur contenders for selection to this year’s U.S. Walker Cup team is coming off a tie for fourth at the Sunnehanna Amateur, an event where he placed third the previous year.
– Ron Balicki
Posted June 24
Former University of Texas player Farren Keenan sure has liking for The Berkshire Golf Club. Keenan might just think about taking out membership at the classic English course should he ever get fed up playing his home course of Sunningdale.
Keenan, whose sister Ellis will attend UNLV in the fall, became the first player since Gary Wolstenholme in 1997 to win the Berkshire Trophy in consecutive years when he successfully defended his title June 21. Keenan defeated countryman Luke Goddard by four shots with rounds of 66-66-69-67 for a 19-under 26 total.
The English amateur failed to qualify for the match play stages of the British Amateur Championship at Formby, but made up for it by winning one of England’s most prestigious tournaments.
The Berkshire Trophy stretches back to 1946, and has a list of excellent winners that includes Sir Michael Bonallack, Peter Oosterhuis, Sandy Lyle, Peter McEvoy, Ross Fisher and Wolstenholme.
No player has won it three consecutive years since Philip Scrutton in 1950-52. There’s a good chance Keenan won’t attempt to match that record since he will try for his European Tour card later this year.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 23
Two years ago, many felt Drew Weaver’s win at the British Amateur Championship was worthy enough to land him a spot on the 2007 U.S. Walker Cup team. While he gained plenty of consideration, he was not selected by the USGA to be a part of that 10-man squad.
This week, Weaver, a recent Virginia Tech graduate, gave the USGA something to think about as it prepares to select its Walker Cup team that will compete against Great Britain & Ireland in the 42nd match at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.
Weaver was not only one of three amateurs to make the cut in the 109th U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, but finished the championship as low American amateur. He tied for 40th at 9-over par, one stroke higher than the overall low amateur, Canadian Nick Taylor. Rounding out the trio was Kyle Stanley, who tied for 53rd at 13 over. Stanley, a member of that 2007 U.S. Walker Cup team, has announced he would bypass his senior year at Clemson and turn pro.
It’s going to be interesting to see how much weight the USGA puts on Weaver’s performance at the U.S. Open.
Winning the British Amateur didn’t do the trick, but maybe this will, because the USGA has been known to put a great deal of emphasis on an amateur’s performance in its premier championship.
– Ron Balicki
Posted June 22
FORMBY, England – Italy’s Matteo Manassero hasn’t stopped making history. He will enter the record books again next April when he becomes the youngest competitor in Masters history.
Manassero was born April 19, 1993. He will still be 16 when he tees it up at Augusta next April.
He will break Tommy Jacobs’ record as youngest competitor. Jacobs was 17 years, 1 month and 21 days when he played in the 1952 Masters.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 21
FORMBY, England — College coaches salivating at the prospect of getting British Amateur champion Matteo Manassero into their programs should reach for the tissue box right now and wipe their mouths dry.
Matteo won’t be playing college golf in the future. He will finish high school and turn pro.
The 16-year-old has looked into the possibility of playing college golf. He talked to Texas A&M player Andre Pavan, also from Italy, about college golf, but says it isn’t for him.
“I will finish high school and then turn pro,” Manassero said.
Sorry college coaches. He’d have looked good playing in the NCAA Championship, but it isn’t going to happen.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 20
FORMBY, England — The Tait Test for future greatness is pretty simple. If a player gets added to my dictionary when I do a spell check, then there’s a good chance I think he’s one for the future.
My first task after writing stories is an immediate spell check to correct my typing mistakes before I proofread my copy. This process always throws up players’ names.
That’s when I have to make the decision on whether or not I think a player will be around for a long time or is just a flash in the pan. Obviously if a player is going to be around for a while then I’m going to have to write about him or her in future, which means his or her name is going to be queried when I do spell checks.
So it’s usually easier to add the name to my dictionary rather than have it thrown back at me.
Manassero is a case in point. I spent two days of telling my computer to ignore his name when I spell checked until I realized the boy can really play.
He’s now in my dictionary. In other words, he passes the Tait Test.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 20
FORMBY, England — Matteo Manassero has some experience helping him here this week. Italian coach Alberto Binaghi is caddying for him.
Binaghi knows a thing or two about golf under pressure. The 44-year-old Italian spent nearly 20 years on the European Tour and European Challenge Tour before becoming Italian national coach.
Binaghi had little success as a tour pro. He won the 1999 San Paola Vita Open on the Challenge Tour, but his highest money list finish on the main tour was 80th in 1989.
As for pressure, Binaghi made 14 trips to the European Tour Qualifying School during his career.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 19
FORMBY, England — Stiggy Hogson’s real name is Eamonn. He got his “Stiggy” nickname about the same time he started playing golf.
Hodgson was rooting around in a dump one day as a little boy when he came across some old golf clubs. He took the clubs home to his father and told him he wanted to start playing golf.
His father immediately nicknamed him “Stig of the Dump” after the children’s novel by the same name. “Stiggy” naturally followed and the name has stuck.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 19
FORMBY, England — Local fans thought they’d got the steal of the century at the beginning of the week. Now all they have is a useless piece of paper.
Tommy Fleetwood was a 28-1 shot with bookmakers Paddy Power on Monday morning even though he lost in last year’s final and entered the championship as the reigning Scottish Stroke Play champion. Fleetwood blew the field away at Murcar last month when he won the Scottish title.
No wonder many locals piled into Paddy Power to back Fleetwood.
The 19-year-old Englishman might have brought them some joy had he played better in his quarterfinal match against Italy’s Matteo Manassero. However, he made some pretty basic errors to give the Italian the match.
Fleetwood hit two chip shots through the green at the 14th and 15th holes to make bogeys and lose to solid pars from Manassero.
They were errors any 20 handicapper probably wouldn’t have made.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 19
FORMBY, England — If you wanted to see a player go out of a championship with a whimper instead of a bang, then you had to see the way veteran Welshman Nigel Edwards exited the British Amateur Championship.
The four-time Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup play lost his third round match to South African Ryan Dreyer on the 20th hole.
Edwards looked like he’d received a huge rub of the green with his tee shot on the second extra hole. His ball looked like it was heading for the third of the three fairway bunkers on the right hand side of the fairway.
To Edwards’ amazement, the ball came to rest one yard from the trap.
The 40-year-old Welshman was only left with a wedge to the green, but hit what has to go down as one of the worst shots of his amateur career.
He ballooned his ball up in the air and it landed short and about 20 yards short and right of the green. With the flag on the right-hand side, it meant he had short-sided himself.
Edwards chipped to about 12 feet and missed his par putt to hand the match to his opponent.
It wasn’t only a blow for Edwards, but for many in the gallery who had him penciled in as going all the way to the final.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 18
FORMBY, England — I wish I had my lawn mower with me. Then I’d be able to cut the grass around one of Southport’s landmarks.
Southport rightly nicknames itself the “English Golf Coast” given that it has so many excellent links – Royal Birkdale, Hillside, Southport & Ainsdale, West Lancashire and, of course, Formby. No wonder the town council has erected a small statue of a golf ball on a tee at the southern entrance to the town.
The only problem is the statue sits on the most unkempt teeing ground I’ve ever seen. The statue is surrounded by knee-high grass. The grass is so deep that if you actually tried to tee a ball up in it then you’d probably lose it.
If I sound a little fastidious it’s only because I’ve driven past this statue for four straight days and it’s getting on my nerves.
If the grass hasn’t been cut tomorrow I’m going to alter my route so I don’t have to drive past it on Saturday.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 18
FORMBY, England – The R&A’s World Amateur Golf Ranking now decides who gets into the British Amateur Championship.
Taking players off a ranking system was thought to be necessary after previous years when some players with supposedly plus-handicaps couldn’t break 80. However, there are still spots off a ballot system for wannabe club golfers with decent handicaps.
Of the 288 places available in the stroke play qualifying, 268 were allocated to players off the WAGR. That left just 20 places for decent club amateurs.
That number swelled to 41 when 21 of the 268 withdrew from the championship.
A handicap of plus-1.9 or better was required for any golfer without a world ranking to have any chance of getting into the championship.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 17
FORMBY, England – Speaking of handicaps, even the highest plus-handicap you can think of doesn’t guarantee success in the British Amateur Championship.
Scotland’s Keir McNicoll held the lowest handicap in the entire field at plus-5.6. McNicoll plays at Carnoustie, arguably the toughest track in the British Isles. You’d have thought layouts like Formby and West Lancashire would hold no fears for him. Yet he didn’t even make the match play stages. Rounds of 73-77 meant he missed the cut by three shots.
It makes you wonder yet again about the accuracy of handicap systems.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 17
FORMBY, England – The Scottish Golf Union’s (SGU) decision to name it’s six-man European Championship team today was called into question with results from British Amateur qualifying.
Five of the six are in action here this week. Only Glenn Campbell is missing.
The SGU won’t be happy to see that four of the remaining five missed the cut at Formby. Gavin Dear is the only one through to the match play stages.
Paul O’Hara, Ross Kellett, Wallace Booth and Michael Stewart all failed to advance.
It begs the question: Why was there such a hurry to name the team? Surely the SGU could have waited until early this week, thereby affording the luxury to adjusting the team based on performances here this week.
I’ll never understand governing bodies.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 16
FORMBY, England – There are a lot of good stories among the 288 competitors who began the stroke play rounds of the British Amateur Championship, but Ryan Dreyer’s is one of the most intriguing.
Dreyer is a re-instated amateur from South Africa. The 37-year-old was a member of the Sunshine Tour in his homeland but gave up after 11 years when he realized he couldn’t cut it in the pro ranks. He also tried the Canadian Tour and the mini tours in the U.S., too.
He turned his attention instead to amateur golf and poker. Yes, poker. He’s pretty good at the tables. In fact, he’s as good with a hand of cards as he is with a set of clubs.
Last September, Dreyer took the $650,000 first-place prize in the Million Dollar Sun City Shuffle Up Poker tournament, a $3,000 buy-in No Limit Hold’em event.
Dreyer attended Texas A&M from 1993-95 before graduating with a degree in journalism. He’s put the degree to good use. He edits a poker magazine called “Bluff.”
Dreyer’s ambition is to win the World Series of Poker. He placed 55th in last year’s tournament, and will have another crack this year.
Here at Formby, Dreyer returned rounds of 77 at West Lancashire and 70 at Formby today for a score of 3-over 147. That score looks good enough to make the match play stages.
I’m guessing someone who picked up $650,000 in one night at the tables is unlikely to suffer from nerves. What a story it would be if he could walk off with the trophy this week.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 16
FORMBY, England – I might need to change my attitude towards the Palmer Cup after bumping into Dean Robertson today in the Formby clubhouse.
I went to the 2006 Palmer Cup at Prestwick when Europe won 19 1/2-4 1/2 and I honestly couldn’t see what all the fuss was about. It seemed like the most redundant tournament I’d ever been to.
I still felt that way this year even when I saw Europe had won at Cherry Hills to even the series.
Robertson has a diametric view. He captained this year’s European team. He called it “the best experience I’ve ever had in golf.”
It’s a pretty big statement coming from a guy who had seven good seasons on the European Tour, culminating with victory in the 1999 Italian Open and playing on two Scottish World Cup teams, including with Colin Montgomerie in 1999.
So why did “Deano” have such a great experience when I didn’t?
Arnold Palmer.
The King was at Cherry Hills, scene of his 1960 U.S. Open title, and gave his time to everyone.
“I’ve never met a more humble superstar in my life,” Robertson said. “He went out of his way to please the players. They were thrilled. He signed caps, sat and patiently answered questions in a Q-&-A session. You name it he did it.”
Palmer wasn’t at Prestwick when I made my only trip to the Palmer Cup. Maybe if he had have been I’d be more enthusiastic about the tournament. However, I just can’t seem to muster any love for the event.
Sorry, Arnold.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 16
Hunter Hamrick sure likes playing golf in his home state of Alabama.
A red-shirt freshman for the Crimson Tide this past season, the Montgomery native added yet another state title to his impressive resume last weekend. With a final-round 5-under 67, Hamrick captured the 93rd Alabama Amateur Championship at Greystone Golf and Country Club in Birmingham.
He adds that to his Alabama Junior Amateur title and three state championships in high school. He had five top-4 finishes in the state Class 3A tournament dating to the seventh grade.
“You want to be considered one of the best players in the state, so being able to win the state amateur was great,” said Hamrick, who was the youngest player (16) in the field at the 2006 U.S. Amateur and youngest (13) in the field at the 2003 U.S. Junior.
Hamrick entered the final round in third place, four shots behind leader Blake West of UAB. He finished at 6-under 282.
Hamrick has also shown he can excel outside his home turf.
During his inaugural season with the Tide, he posted six top-20 finishes, highlighted by a victory at the NCAA Northeast Regional at Calloway (N.J.) National Golf Club as he led Alabama to a first-place finish. He was a Golf Coaches Association of America honorable mention All-America.
Hamrick finished the season No. 70 in the
Golfweek/Sagarin Rankings.
– Ron Balicki
Posted June 16
FARMINGDALE, N.Y. – Bronson Burgoon’s message was clear - he wants to make the U.S. Walker Cup team later this year.
“That’s why I’m not turning pro, “ said the recent Texas A&M graduate. “I hope Coach [Buddy Mariucci] knows that.”
Burgoon said he intends to play the Southern Amateur, U.S. Amateur and Western Amateur this summer.
A strong showing at the U.S. Open probably won’t hurt his cause either.
– Adam Schupak
Posted June 15
Just got off the phone with UNCW’s Josh Brock and boy is he excited to be playing this week at Bethpage Black. Brock sounded like a kid in a candy store when he described his run-ins with Jim Furyk and Padraig Harrington.
His experience will only get better this week. Today he has a practice round with Steve Stricker and Justin Leonard, Tuesday he’ll be paired with Zach Johnson and Wednesday Brock will play with Henrik Stenson.
Brock’s brother Eddie will be caddying for Josh, but the Seahawk rising junior hopes to make the cut at the U.S. Open so he can give his dad one heck of a father’s day present: the chance to caddy at a U.S. Open.
– Asher Wildman
Posted June 15
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Wonder why recent Georgia grad Brian Harman mised a U.S. Open sectional qualifier on Monday? He explains.
“It’s going to sound childish, my mom is my coordinator, scheduler,” Harman said. “We had the qualifier scheduled for Tuesday and and I was actually driving up to Atlanta when I got a text from a buddy who said, ‘Hey, why did you DNS?’ I was actually driving up there for a practice round, or so I thought. I had actually no idea until Monday about 1 o’clock that the qualifier was that day.”
– Mike Dudurich
Posted June 13
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Arnold Palmer had one of those “nice” days on Saturday.
The 79-year-old Palmer and some family members and friends made the 30-mile trip from Latrobe, Pa., to Johnstown Saturday afternoon to watch Palmer’s grandson, Sam Saunders, play in the third round of the Sunnehanna Amateur. Palmer rode around the course in a golf cart and watched him play the back nine.
A short while after Saunders finished his round of 71, the Palmer entourage left Johnstown for Somerset, Pa., where Palmer was to be honored at the first course he designed, Indian Lake.
Nine holes were built at the course in 1967. The other nine didn’t open until 1995.
To honor Palmer, Indian Lake plans to unveil a wood-carved statue of Palmer, similar to the one of his father, Deacon, which sits on the left side of the 18th fairway at Latrobe Country Club. The statue will placed on top of a stump in the middle of the 11th fairway. The stump was part of a tree that Palmer left in that fairway as a design feature. The tree died and blew down several years ago, much to Palmer’s chagrin.
The 445-yard par 4 was originally the opening hole when the course opened in 1967. Additionally, the statue will be surrounded by a flower bed in the shape of an umbrella, duplicating the colors and design of Palmer’s signature logo. A bronze plaque will be placed on a small retaining wall, noting Indian Lake as Palmer’s first course design.
– Mike Dudurich
Posted June13
The U.S. Open hopes of UC Santa Barbara rising junior Scott Lewis just got a little better.
Lewis suffered one of golf’s cruel fates Monday, losing in a 4-for-3
playoff at the U.S. Open sectional qualifier at Saticoy Country Club in
Somis, Calif. He is now the first alternate.
Robert
Karlsson withdrew from the Open on Friday, putting pro Andrew Svoboda
into the field. Lewis could get into the Open field Sunday depending on
who wins the PGA Tour’s St. Jude Classic this week.
There is a
spot in the Open reserved for the winner of the St. Jude Classic, if
the St. Jude is his second victory since the ‘08 U.S. Open and he is
not already exempt to Bethpage.
Only a handful of players at
the St. Jude fit that criteria, but 36-hole leader Brian Gay is one of
those players. Lewis will get in the Open if the St. Jude winner does
not fit that criteria.
Lewis played four events last year for
the Gauchos, finishing 11th at the St. Mary’s Invitational and sixth at
the Wyoming Desert Classic.
– Sean Martin
Posted June 12
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – Brendan Gielow of Muskegon, Mich., goes to college at Wake Forest, but there’s no doubt about where his rooting interests are.
Gielow was followed during his second-round 68 by his grandfather and his grandfather’s friend, who was proudly wearing a bright red Detroit Red Wings hat.
“Oh my gosh, yes. I’ll be watching,” Gielow said when asked if he planned to be in front of a television for Friday night’s Game 7 of the Stanley Cup finals between Detroit and Pittsburgh. “I’m a big Red Wings fan. We’re staying at a hotel, not sure where we’re going to watch it.”
In the interest of fairness, Johnstown’s Matt Moot made his way around the course in 73 for the second straight day. Today, however, Moot wore black slacks, a gold shirt and a Penguins hat.
– Mike Dudurich
Posted June 12
One name that I don’t think has been mentioned enough during the Walker Cup chase is former South Carolina All-American Mark Anderson. He won last year’s Players Amateur by five shots, then beat Rickie Fowler in a playoff at the NEC Master of the Amateurs in Australia, one of the top events in the world.
Anderson is in second halfway through the Sunnehanna. If he can maintain that placing, I hope he starts getting serious consideration, if he’s not already.
Anderson finished his college career in 2008, so he wasn’t able to state his Walker Cup case during this past college season, but he can make up for that quickly with some strong finishes in amateur events. And no one can question his passion for the Walker Cup; he has stayed amateur for the past year with hopes of making the U.S. team.
He is No. 20 in the
Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Amateur Rankings, and No. 7 in the U.S.
– Sean Martin
Posted June 12
Yesterday I wrote five names of guys I would consider for making this year’s U.S. Walker Cup. Today I offer up five more to keep a close eye on.
1.
Brian Harman - When I spoke to Brian at the NCAA Championship, he said he didn’t want to jump on the turning pro bandwagon because he wanted to represent his country. Buddy Marucci was on hand at Inverness to see his dramatic victory over Rickie Fowler, which Harman punctuated with a birdie on 18. Harman is what I like to call ‘the spark’. He gets guys fired up and they feed off his energy.
2.
Tyson Alexander - There’s always a guy that quietly flies under the radar and this summer I think it will be Tyson Alexander. For the last couple of years he was in the shadow of Billy Horschel. Tyson is a hard worker, and seems like one of those guys that will shoot even every day. When it comes to match play that sometimes is more than enough to win.
3.
Zack Sucher - Zack has had an impressive amateur career. He has won the Azalea Invitational, Cardinal Amateur, was runner-up last summer at the Porter Cup, and was the 2008 Conference USA Player of the year. Oftentimes when coaches are asked about his game, they say he is ready for the next level. I would like to see him in Red, White, and Blue first this summer while we still have some eligibility left on that amateur career.
4.
Danny Green - Like that wouldn’t be entertaining to see!
5.
Cameron Tringale - This is going solely on what he did at the Palmer Cup. Tringale went 3-0-1 with wins in the foursome and four-ball matches. With results like that it makes me comfortable to know that you can pair him up with somebody and they can go out and get it done. It doesn’t hurt that he qualified for the U.S. Open and was a first-team All-American this year.
– Asher Wildman
Posted June 12
JOHNSTOWN, Pa. – This was the kind of day it was for Corey Nagy in the first round of the Sunnehanna Amateur.
He had an early tee time, the sixth group of the day. The Charlotte, N.C., resident played a nice front nine, then went 5 under on the back to shoot 66.
Just after he finished, a thunderstorm halted play and the field went to the clubhouse for lunch. Soon after, players started filing into an adjacent room where there was a pool table and pingpong table.
Nagy proceeded to mow down as many opponents (5) in pingpong as he shot under par on the back nine. He even whipped the best local player who was touted as the club’s best.
“It was a good day, a very good day,” Nagy smiled.
– Mike Dudurich
Posted June 11
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – U.S. Junior Amateur champion Cameron Peck proved he can play with the pros, carding a 1-under 69 in the first round of the St. Jude Classic.
“I dropped a couple long putts,” he said in the understatement of the day.
Peck dialed long distance from 26, 37 and 46 feet for three of his five birdies. He needed only 23 putts total. A double bogey on the fifth hole and two other bogeys kept him from being among the leaders.
“I could’ve had a really good round today,” he said. “Under par in a pro tournament, I’m excited.”
– Adam Schupak
Posted June 11
Walker Cup captain Buddy Marucci has always been open about his selection process. He’s about team chemistry, guys that will come together and not play as individuals. Two years ago he hit a home run at Royal County Down as those 10 men looked like a fraternity pledge class.
Here’s some guys I would consider putting together for this summer’s squad. I will do five today and five tomorrow.
Rickie Fowler - This is my only lock. He was 3-1 last Walker Cup and without question one of the best, if not the best, amateur in the world.
Morgan Hoffmann - He’s a teammate of Rickie at Oklahoma State and has the game to back it up. He’s a big strong kid, who takes the game seriously on the course, but is all smiles off it. It is safe to say he has pretty good chemistry with the Cowboy mentioned above.
Skip Berkmeyer - You have to have at least one mid-am on the squad and I think this Missouri native should be considered. He totally fits the stereotype of “one of the guys,” and he works his tail off when he competes. He’s a husband, dad, business owner and an amateur golfer in the summer. I believe he wants it badly after speaking to him in the fall, and if he can pull some top 10s together, perhaps he’ll crack the line-up.
Mike Van Sickle - I know he only went 1-3 at the Palmer Cup, but you can’t dispute his game. The recent Marquette grad had a successful senior campaign where he won a handful of tournaments. This summer he will be playing in more “big time” tournaments where he will hopefully get the chance to prove he can compete with the best.
Mike McCoy - If Berkmeyer won’t be a mid-am on this year’s squad then I think McCoy will be the one. Several players at nationals said his game looks sharp and that he’s a tough competitor. Last summer he won the Trans-Miss Match Play Championship, and was a semi-finalist at the Mid-Am. He also finished third at the Azalea Invitational and sixth at the Jones Cup earlier this year.
– Asher Wildman
Posted June 11
TROWLEY BOTTOM, England – Representatives from 15 countries made it into match play at the Ladies’ British Amateur Championship at Royal St David’s in Harlech, Wales.
England has the majority of competitors in the knock-out stages with 17 players. Scotland ranks second with nine. Holland, Sweden and Germany have five players each. There are four players from Spain and Canada, and three each from Wales, Ireland and France. Italy has two runners with one each from Mexico, Australia, Israel and the United States.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 11
MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Cameron Peck’s smile is so wide his cheeks must ache. He’s been smiling a lot since he arrived in Tennessee last Friday, one day after attending his final day of high school. And playing a lot of golf too – he’s already logged 90 holes this week before he tees off June 11 in the St. Jude Classic (oh, to be 17 again).
Peck played 36 holes Saturday and Sunday to learn the golf courses he would play at the U.S. Open sectional qualifier Monday and the TPC Southwind, where he makes his second Tour start (he missed the cut last fall at the Wyndham Championship).
A frown appeared on Peck’s face ever so briefly when he discussed failing to advance to the U.S. Open at the 36-hole qualifier. But the smile returned as he recounted the experience of playing in it with Tour pros Paul Goydos and Aron Price. And his smile grew wider when he talked about hitting balls next to Bob Tway and Tom Pernice Jr. after kicking back with a routine 18 holes Tuesday.
“It’s just so cool to be around all these guys I watch on TV all the time and I’m finally out here and it’s like I can’t believe I’m out here.”
Peck also had dinner with James Oh and lunch with Jason Gore.
“He’s my favorite player I’ve met,” Peck said.
When we parted, I told him in jest to try to smile a little and have some fun.
“I already am,” he said.
– Adam Schupak
Posted June 10
TROWLEY BOTTOM, England – Spanish golfers have enjoyed a pretty good run in the Ladies’ British Amateur Championship in recent years. I’m betting that run continues this year.
My money is on either Arizona State players Carlota Ciganda or Azahara Munoz winning the 2009 title at Royal St David’s this Saturday.
I’m not exactly
going out on a limb here. They finished as co-medalists on 8-under par, five shots ahead of Alabama’s Camilla Lennarth of Sweden. They are also Nos. 2 and 3 in the
Golfweek/Sagarin College Rankings.
Four Spaniards have won the Ladies’ British since 2001. Only an upset can stop it becoming five of the past nine.
– Alistair Tait
Posted June 10
U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying is over and there are 14 amateurs still standing. Some qualifiers we expected to see at Bethpage, but others can be considered a surprise.
For more information on each player, check out
Golfweek's
complete rundown of this year's amateur qualifiers.
– D.J. Piehowski
Posted June 10
How about this blast from the past? Way back when, Harry Rudolph was one of the best junior and college players in the country. Now 39, and after a not-so-impressive try in the pro ranks, Rudolph is a reinstated amateur who recently made it through U.S. Open local qualifying and missed earning a spot in this year’s championship by just two shots in sectional qualifying.
Rudolph still has plenty of talent. It’ll be interesting to see how much he’ll be able to play – and what events he plays – this summer.
– Ron Balicki
Posted June 10
TROWLEY BOTTOM, England – It’s debatable whether the R&A has made the right decision on the choice of course for the match play stages of next week’s British Amateur Championship.
Formby and West Lancashire Golf Club play host to the qualifying rounds for next week’s British Amateur. Competitors will play a round on each with the top 64 and ties making it through to the match play stages.
The knock out rounds will take place at Formby, which might surprise many people. Although Formby is an excellent course, there will be a contingent of true links lovers who would prefer the match play rounds to be held over West Lancashire.
West Lancashire is arguably the most underrated course in the British Isles. It is certainly the least well known on the Southport string of great links, a run of courses that includes Royal Birkdale, Hillside, Southport & Ainsdale, Formby, Wallasey and Hesketh.
I didn’t realize how good West Lancashire was until I covered the 2004 Brabazon Trophy there. I couldn’t believe how good the layout was, especially the par-3s. The 184-yard, par-3 6th hole is one of the best one shot holes in British golf.
Unlike Formby, West Lancashire is pure links, so it’s perhaps strange that the R & A didn’t opt for the knockout stages to be held on that layout.
Formby is a mixture of links and parkland golf, albeit mainly links. Coastal erosion meant the loss of three holes in 1972. Three holes, 7,8 and 9, were built into mature pine trees so that golfers playing the layout for the first time receive something of a shock when they step onto the 7th tee. You go from trying to avoid heather off the fairway to trying to stay out of trees.
Formby has held the British Amateur twice before – 1967 and 1984 – while West Lancashire has never staged the game’s premier amateur tournament. On that basis alone I’d have opted for West Lancashire.
–Alistair Tait
Posted June 10
TROWLEY BOTTOM, England – Irish golfers are giving the Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup captain Colin Dalgleish and his team of selectors something of a headache this year.
Shane Lowry started the ball rolling. The burly Irish player was almost guaranteed a place in the 10-man GB & I team at the start of the season. However, he passed on the chance to play at Merion September 12-13 when he shocked the world of golf by winning the European Tour’s Irish Open and promptly turned professional.
Dalgleish and his team just got over that problem when they were presented with two more in the shape of Niall Kearney and Alan Dunbar. Although the GB & I captain would be the first to admit these are two welcome problems.
Only the most die hard of college golf aficionados will know anything about Kearney. He attended East Tennessee State, another in the long line of British and Irish players coach Fred Warren has built his program around. However, Kearney didn’t last long. He’d hardly unpacked his bags in Tennessee when he decided college golf wasn’t for him and returned home.
The Dubliner started the season as a member of the 28-man GB & I Walker Cup squad, from which the majority of the 10-man team will be picked. Lowry’s departure greatly helped his chances of becoming one of the Irish representatives on the GB & I team. Kearney’s subsequent victory in the Brabazon Trophy means he is practically pencilled into the team right now. A good run in next week’s British Amateur Championship at Formby would seal his place.
Dunbar is also a member of the GB & I squad, but most didn’t rate his chances of making the 10-man team. His victory in the St Andrew’s Links Trophy changes that view. That win will have made the selectors sit up and take notice.
Throw in fellow Irish squad members Dara Lernihan, Paul Cutler and UCF’s Simon Ward and it should be interesting to see which Irish players make the GB & I team.
–Alistair Tait
Posted June 10
Posted: 6/10/2009
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