Flanagan Leads 4 Up At Break

By Ken Klavon, USGA

Casey Wittenberg gets under an approach shot on No. 12. (John Mummert/USGA)

Oakmont, Pa. – Bidding to become the first Australian-born player to win in 100 years, Nick Flanagan took a 4-up lead over Casey Wittenberg into the second 18 holes of match play in the U.S. Amateur Sunday.

Flanagan, 19, won three of the final four holes before the break in the 36-hole final at Oakmont Country Club. Over the past two days, he’s talked at length about how nervous he’s been during match play. Some of that was eased by fellow Aussie Greg Norman, who had sent Flanagan a congratulatory card this morning.

“I’m feeling good,” said Flanagan, trying to equal Walter Travis as the only Aussie’s to win the event. “There are no nerves at the moment.”

The match was all square until the 477-yard par 4 ninth hole, where Flanagan drained a left-to-right 12-foot putt. From there, he kept the lead with savvy and Wittenberg’s missed opportunities.

The 18-year-old Wittenberg, a member of the USA Walker Cup team, could have evened things on the 11th hole, but his 12-foot putt for birdie from above the hole lipped out.

On the par-3 13th, Wittenberg didn’t follow through on a 15-footer than would have won the hole. Wittenberg paced after the ball, knowing immediately it wasn’t on target before stopping three feet short.

“I played poor golf this morning,” said Wittenberg, who hit four of his final 10 greens in regulation. “I have to hit better shots than I’m hitting. This is the U.S. Amateur. I’ve got to step it up this afternoon.”

Two years ago Bubba Dickerson was 5 down to Robert Hamilton at the break, but came back to win.

Flanagan began his late run by guiding in a 20-footer for par on the 15th hole. The ball was below a ridge, just left of the hole. Wittenberg had putted first from 30 feet away on top of a ridge, right of the hole. When the ball didn’t break and died nine feet away, a befuddled Wittenberg just looked at his father and caddie, Jim, with an expression that said, ‘Now what?’ It was a rare display of one green not playing as though it had been greased.

Tom Meeks, USGA Director of Rules and Competitions, said the greens were close to 13 on the Stimpmeter.

Neither player was overly spectacular off the tee or from the fairway. On the back nine, Flanagan recorded just 3-of-7 fairways in regulation compared to Wittenberg’s four. But Flanagan did register 5-of-9 greens in regulation. Still, it left him frustrated.

“I’m in the middle of the fairway with 8-irons and I shouldn’t miss them,” said Flanagan.

Ken Klavon is the Web Editor for the USGA. E-mail him at kklavon@usga.org with questions or comments.