Notebook: 59 Gives Burkhart Confidence At Amateur

By Ken Klavon, USGA

Ardmore, Pa. -- Dane Burkhart, 21, of Aiken, S.C., had a round everyone dreams about. On Aug. 14, the USC-Aiken senior entered the proverbial ‘zone’ with a 12-under 59 in the final round of the Palmetto Amateur, held at Palmetto Golf Club in his hometown. Burkhart finished 20 strokes under par and won by eight in his tune-up for the U.S. Amateur.

Needless to say, the 59 was a competitive course record. In a twist of irony, he smashed the old competitive mark of 61 that was held by former teammate Scott Usher. The non-competitive record had been a 60 by Scott Brown, whom Burkhart knows.

It all came down to No. 18. If he birdied, he’d own both the competitive and non-competitive records. Burkhart stood over a 4-foot putt, saying he was pretty nervous until it dropped.

	Oliver Fisher, who carded a 6-over 76 Tuesday at Merion, consults with his caddie on a green. (John Mummert/USGA)

He tried explaining what’s been working well, pointing to his swing tempo and lights-out putting as the biggest strengths.

Coming into the Amateur, he naturally felt confident. That was until he played his first round at Philadelphia Country Club, walking in with a 5-over 75.

"I had a 75 on the ‘easy’ golf course," said Burkhart after his 1-under 69 at Merion on Tuesday. "I thought I shot myself in the foot. … I hit it everywhere yesterday. I thought I’d get to Merion and shoot a million."

Burkhart is playing in his first Amateur because it’s the first time he’s tried qualifying. He said he never played a lot of summer golf after the school season. Believe it or not, he’s looking forward to match play.

"It’s actually a lot easier, especially on a golf course like this. You’re grinding to shoot a score," he said.

World Traveler

Nineteen-year-old Pablo Martin of Spain will enter his sophomore year at Oklahoma State this fall. He got his first taste of Merion Monday, carding a 5-over 75 and 6-over 146 for the championship that put him into a Wednesday morning playoff. As exhausted as he was afterward, he wouldn’t have it any other way.

"As you can see, this is probably the best amateur tournament in the world," he said.

And he should know. In 2001 Martin won the British Boys Amateur and has played venues all over the world. He came to the U.S. to play on the collegiate level because, in his opinion, the best golfers are here.

"We have to travel more in Europe," said Martin. "I like it. I think it’s worse to be at home."

Back In Time

Along with Greg Kennedy and George Zahringer, Danny Green was one of three players in the field this week who played the Amateur when it was held at Merion in 1989.

It was his first Amateur and, for that matter, first USGA championship. He made it to the final, losing to Chris Patton, 3 and 1. Other than that, he knew he felt like a fish out of water.

"I didn’t know who anybody was," said Green. "I didn’t know who Jay Sigel was until 5,000 people showed up for the match."

With a 9-over 79 at Merion Tuesday, Trip Kuehne toppled down the scoreboard after carding a 1-over 71 Monday. He failed to make match play. (John Mummert/USGA)

Green was referring to his fourth-round duel against Sigel, a local legend, which Green won in 19 holes. Green, who sometimes can irritate like a loose pebble in a shoe, said he remembered the course being firmer back then, but not much else. It’s not as though Green hasn’t been back to Merion in 16 years. He’s played in the last six Hugh Wilson Invitationals, an annual amateur tournament held at the club every May. He’s won it twice. This year’s tournament was canceled so the club could prepare for the Amateur.

Even so, Green preferred to talk about the current Merion set-up, the one that was lengthened a couple of years ago.

"I know we’re the guinea pigs for the Open," said the 48-year-old Green (11-over 151 to fail to qualify), a bit annoyed. "I know what’s going on.

"That’s the way it is every year now. We’re the guinea pigs. It was that way last year at Winged Foot."

Zahringer, 52, playing in his 17^th Amateur, walked off Merion Tuesday with a respectable 2-over 72 and did make match play with a 5-over 175. He didn’t have much time to differentiate between the course now versus the one in 1989 because he had only played the back nine in practice with USA Walker Cupper Lee Williams.

Averaging 270 off the tee, he knows he must stay in the fairway. He did so for the most part, striking 10 on Tuesday.

"It’s golf A, B, C," he said.

Zahringer really couldn’t remember anything specific from 16 years ago.

"I remember it being very hard in 1989," said Zahringer. "It’s such a good match play course.

"Look, the short holes are hard and the longer holes are harder."

Walker Cuppers

Playing in the Amateur this week must have felt like a hangover for those who played in the Walker Cup. Six players from the USA side and eight contestants from the Great Britain and Ireland team competed this week. Not all moved on to match play.

Nineteen-year-old Lloyd Saltman of Scotland would be one of them.

"I came out today and couldn’t get it going," said Saltman, after carding a 9-over 79 for a two-day total of 149. He held out hope his score would be strong enough to get him into match play. He compared his position to the British Amateur, where he made match play by a stroke before going on to the semifinals.

Asked which he was more disappointed about, being on the losing end of the recent Walker Cup match or failing to make match play, he didn’t hesitate.

"The Walker Cup was a lot more disappointing than this," he said. "I came here at the last minute."

Eighteen-year-old Brian Harman, the youngest selection to a USA Walker Cup squad, had a differing view. He shot 6-over 146 over the two days, which put him into a Wednesday morning playoff.

"This is a bigger field than the Walker Cup. All the Walker Cup team members are here, so I would say here," said Harman.

Champions In The Field

There were 11 USGA champions in the field entering the week. Five of them made it into with one, Harman, looking at a playoff on Wednesday morning for one of the final spots.

Made Match Play

Charlie Beljan, Mesa, Ariz. – 2002 U.S. Junior Amateur champion (64P-76M-140)
Austin Eaton III, New London, N.H. -- 2004 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion (71P-70M-141)
Sihwan Kim, Fullerton, Calif. -- 2004 U.S. Junior champion (70M-73P-143)
Nathan Smith, Brookville, Pa. -- 2003 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion (73M-70P-143)
George Zahringer, New York, N.Y. -- 2002 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion (73P-72M-145)

On The Bubble

Brian Harman, Savannah, Ga. -- 2002 U.S. Junior Amateur champion (71M-75P-146)

Missed Match Play

Danny Green, Jackson, Tenn. -- 1999 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion (74M-77P-151)
Kevin Tway, Edmond, Okla. -- 2005 U.S. Junior Amateur champion (73P-78M-151)
Clay Ogden, West Point, Utah -- 2005 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion  (73P-77M-150)
Greg Reynolds, Grand Blanc, Mich. -- 2002 USGA Senior Amateur champion (72P-78M-150)
Tim Hogarth, Northridge, Calif. – 1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion (75P-82M-157) 

(M- Merion Golf Club, P-Philadelphia Country Club)

Tidbits

Pierre Henri-Soero, who missed the cut at this year’s U.S. Open, withdrew Tuesday. … Joey Marino, son of NFL Hall of Famer Dan Marino, caddied for Ryan Abbate, who shot a 9-over 149. … PGA Tour player Bob Tway was in attendance to watch son Kevin. … Sportscasters Jim Nantz and Jack Whitaker are members of Merion.

Ken Klavon is the USGA’s web editor. E-mail him with questions or comments at kklavon@usga.org. Alex Miceli contributed.