Staff picks: U.S. Amateur
The U.S. Amateur kicks off Monday, and Golfweek’s esteemed panel of experts has weighed in on the year’s biggest amateur event. Whether you agree with their choices is up to you.
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This week’s event: U.S. Amateur
Site: Pinehurst Resort & Country Club, Courses No. 2 and No. 4 (No. 2 – 7,281 yards, par 70; No. 4 – 7,030 yards, par 70), Village of Pinehurst, N.C.
The winner receives: Exemption into the 2009 U.S. Open and British Open, and a probable invitation to play in the 2009 Masters, if he remains an amateur. He also receives a 10-year exemption into the U.S. Amateur field so long as he remains an amateur.
Last year: Colt Knost, 22, of Dallas, Texas, defeated Michael Thompson of Tucson, Ariz., in the 36-hole match-play final, 2 and 1. Knost also won the 2007 U.S. Amateur Public Links and was a member of the winning USA Walker Cup team last summer. He has since turned professional.
Ron Balicki
FINAL FOUR:
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Rickie Fowler. His putter has run hot and cold this summer, but when it’s hot, he’s as tough to beat as anyone as he showed in winning the Sunnehanna Amateur. Also solid in match play, Fowler was a quarterfinalist at 2006 U.S. Amateur, went 3-0-1 at last year’s Walker Cup and advanced to the Sweet 16 at this year’s U.S. Public Links.
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Jamie Lovemark. He was runner-up and medalist at this year’s North & South Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2. His excellent short game can carry him a long way in match play. The former Western Amateur champion was 3-0-0 at last year’s Walker Cup.
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Danny Lee. Korean born and living in New Zealand since he was 9, this 18-year-old showed he had plenty of game this summer when he was qualifying medalist and won the Western Amateur. He also was a semifinalist this year at the Australian Amateur. He stays cool under pressure and can make things happen with his excellent short game. He’s ready to make up for his first-round, match-play loss last year in this championship.
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Sihwan Kim. He’s a former U.S. Junior champ who last year made it to the Sweet 16 of the U.S. Am. An extremely hard worker with a well rounded game. As a freshman at Stanford last season he finished fifth at the West Regional and T-4 at the NCAA Championship. This summer he was sixth at the Players Amateur, a quarterfinalist at the Western Am, and tied for sixth at the Nationwide Tour’s Children’s Hospital Invitational.
WINNER: Jamie Lovemark.
He knows and likes Pinehurst, and is ready to add a U.S. Amateur title to his resume, one that already includes the 2007 NCAA title.
MEDALIST: Nathan Smith.
This 30-year-old from the Pittsburgh area has his game back on the right track. He finished third at Sunnehanna, second at the Northeast – on two very tough courses. The 2003 U.S. Mid-Am champion also finished second last week at the Pennsylvania Open. And besides, it’s time to show the mid-amateurs some love. Jeff Wilson was the last mid-am to shine in the 36-hole, stroke-play portion of this championship, that coming in 2000 when he was co-medalist with Jim Salinetti.
SLEEPER: Michael Van Sickle.
He is one of amateur golf’s longer hitters. He’s been working really hard on improving his short game, and the results have shown this summer. He won the Pennsylvania Amateur, tied for fourth at the Northeast Am, lost in a playoff at the Southern Am and finished third at the Porter Cup. He comes into the U.S. Am on the heels of a victory in the Pennsylvania Open, which made him the first amateur in the 92-year history of the event to win back-to-back titles.
Asher Wildman
FINAL FOUR:
• Kyle Stanley. His game was good to begin with, but after adding some muscle in the weight room his game has gotten even stronger.
• Kevin Tway. He knows the formula for succeeding in match play.
• Derek Fathauer. His quiet personality on and off the course works well for a championship like this. It’s good to stay low key until the semis, right Casey Clendenon?
• Jonathan Caldwell. I just think the odds of an “All-American” field are too low. I’ll take the Northern Ireland native as my international semifinalist.
WINNER: Kyle Stanley.
Long off the tee, great at reading greens, and with the strength to hit good shots out of the rough. I think this is the week he gets that coveted USGA championship he’s been looking for.
MEDALIST: Jamie Lovemark.
He has had a quiet summer and can make a statement entering match play as the medalist.
SLEEPER: Drew Weaver.
He won the British Am just two years ago and got snubbed by the USGA for not making the Walker Cup team last year. How much more motivation could one guy need? He won overseas, but can he win here in the mainland?
Eric Soderstrom
FINAL FOUR:
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Kyle Stanley. Wasn’t happy to get knocked out in the first round last year at Olympic Club, especially with his Walker Cup hopes on the line. Stanley, winner of the recent Southern Amateur, will bring Padraig Harrington-like focus to Pinehurst this week.
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Sihwan Kim. Tied for sixth at the Nationwide Tour’s Children’s Hospital Invitational, and is always intimidating when it comes to match play, considering he’s rarely intimidated.
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Danny Lee. Probably playing better than anyone else in the field right now.
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Nick Taylor. Canadian made it to the quarterfinals of last year’s version, only to get drilled by eventual champion Colt Knost. Will be a tough knockout all week.
WINNER: Sihwan Kim.
Will guarantee at least one Stanford Cardinal will be in the field at next year’s Masters.
MEDALIST: Sam Saunders.
Saunders can get hot quickly, so don’t be surprised to see him at the top of the leaderboard heading into match play. He’s had some good finishes this summer (T-15 Sunnehanna, T-8 Players, T-11 Southern, 6th Cardinal), and won his U.S. Amateur qualifier by 14 shots. He also was the medalist at the 2005 U.S. Junior.
SLEEPER: David McDaniel.
McDaniel, a 23-year-old who as of last year’s U.S. Amateur had no intention of pursuing a professional career, stunned Kyle Stanley in the first round at Olympic Club. McDaniel, who lost 2-and-1 to eventual runner-up Michael Thompson in the next round, is back this year, after shooting 132 to win his 36-hole sectional qualifier at Oro Valley CC in Arizona. Also like Corey Nagy, Morgan Hoffmann or Robert Rohanna here.
Posted: 8/15/2008
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