Junior Amateur Champion Has ‘Nothing To Lose’

By Ken Klavon, USGA

San Francisco – Cory Whitsett slumped over the table, looking about as excited as a kid readying himself for a trigonometry exam.

The part about competing at the famed Olympic Club didn’t have his eyes glazed over. The miasma that set in clearly could be traced to a maddening fog that blanketed the Lakeside Course, which delayed the start of the championship four hours Monday. For the 15-year-old Whitsett, along with a plethora of other players, that meant the same mundane eye exercises of fixating on carpet patterns and table covers until the fog dissipated. Exciting stuff.

Cory Whitsett doesn't seem intimidated by The Olympic Club's courses. (Steven Gibbons/USGA)

"I just want to play," said Whitsett, the reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion who earned exempt status for his victory last month.

For someone about to embark on his first U.S. Amateur experience, one might expect the stomach to be full of live wires. But the laid back Houston, Texas, native just brushed away such a thought, perhaps from being bored or naïve. Or both. After his performance at Boone Valley Golf Club, where he defeated 14-year-old Anthony Paolucci, 8 and 7, in the final, Whitsett portrayed himself as a kid more savvy beyond his years. So said his caddie, Ryan Rue, the same caddie that lugged Chris DiMarco’s bag at last year’s British Open. Rue gushed about Whitsett’s course-management skills and maturity. Whitsett laughed at the latter part, seemingly perplexed at what makes a 15-year-old mature.

The left-handed Whitsett didn’t hide his excitement for playing The Olympic Club. He got in two practice rounds, trying to learn nuances of both the Lake and Ocean courses. "It’s good, it’s hard," said Whitsett. "It’s much harder than the Junior was setup-wise."

For starters, he said there’s more of a premium to stay in the fairway. The gnarly thick rough is extremely penal. He learned that quickly.

Whitsett expects some blips this week. After all, the field is larger than the Junior – 315 competitors to just 156 – and the pressure will intensify. His goal is to see how his game stacks up against the country’s best amateurs.

Since winning the Junior Amateur, Whitsett went immediately to the American Junior Golf Association’s Canon Cup in Chattanooga, Tenn., before having a chance to savor the victory. More people know him now, he said. One of those, Brian Harman, learned of Whitsett because both are southpaws. When Whitsett won, he joined the 2002 winner Harman as the only two left-handers to ever win the Junior Amateur. The two have not talked yet, although Harman said he’ll try to seek him out this week.

"It’s always good to have a left-hander win a USGA event," said a smiling Harman.

Could Whitsett duplicate the feat in back-to-back USGA events? Figuring only four lefties in history have won a USGA championship, it’s highly unlikely. In fact, Whitsett isn’t even thinking about it when asked to size up his week.

"I’ve got nothing to lose," said Whitsett. "Nothing to lose and everything to gain."

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