Sunday, August 24, 2008
Lee Wins
What is it about Pinehurst No. 2 and golfers from New Zealand?
Danny
Lee became the second Kiwi to win a USGA title, following Michael
Campbell who incidentally won the U.S. Open here in 2005. It should be
noted that Lee was originally born in Korea.
"It feels like it's a dream and I just can't believe it," said Lee.
Not
much you can say about Lee's performance. Simply stated, Drew Kittleson ran into a birdie buzzsaw.
After
Lee headed into the break with a 5-up cushion thanks to six birdies,
the 18-year-old New Zealander didn't let up. He recorded seven more in
winning, 5 and 4, shooting the equivalent of 11 under par. Lee became the youngest U.S. Amateur champion in
history, surpassing Tiger Woods by six months.
"I
think this golf course likes New Zealand," said Lee, after knocking in
a 35-foot birdie putt on the 14th hole to wrap up the final. "I think
that's why I play so well."
Kittleson, a Florida State
University sophomore, didn't curse, he didn't get frustrated or say
'poor me.' Instead, he applauded Lee's superlative effort.
"Now
that I look at it," said Kittleson, "usually I'm not the guy who would
be so happy for the other guy when that's happening. But it was kind of
fun to watch. What are you going to do?"
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Eighteen In The Books
What to say, what to say after the first 18? For starters, Danny Lee is the real deal. This kid can putt. He carved out a 5-up cushion after going on a stretch in which he won five of six holes on the back nine. He's registered six birdies, four of which have won holes.
"I am trying to play aggressively," said Lee, an understatement if there ever was one. "I needed to find the green speeds early, but I knew it was going to come. This is fun."
Drew Kittleson, after starting strong and posting a 2-up lead through five, started struggling. This man's opinion is that he got into a habit where he was mis-clubbing himself. His approach shots were too strong, landing on the back sides of the greens, and as we all know, Donald Ross greens are going to repel inaccurate offerings. Too many times Kittleson found himself in collection areas, trying to finesse chips.
When Kittleson has had a chance to win holes, Lee has denied him with the putter. At least three times Lee has had to sink 6-footers to gain a halve, and he has done so.
Lee's best putt came on No. 15. Well below the hole, faced with a stiff uphill 30-footer, Lee calmly drained it. Then he unleashed a flurry of animated fist pumps.
"It's match play," said Kittleson, not looking a bit defeated. "He only made one bogey on No. 5 and then he made birdies on 10, 11, 13 and 15, and made 10- or 15-footers to save par on 17 and 18. What are you going to do?"
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Final Day
Picture-perfect morning here today. Blue skies. Sunny. So weather shall not be a factor.
I will say this: in my number of years covering golf, perhaps there is no 'wetter' course than Pinehurst No. 2. By that I mean the morning dew sticks around until the sun can burn it off. But it also means wet shoes for some time. Oh well, nothing can be done about it.
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Saturday, August 23, 2008
Well
Have an interesting final to say the least. Danny Lee, still in pain with the left shoulder, has proved he can play through pain. Then there's Drew Kittleson who is zoned in on a golf course as anyone I've ever witnessed.
Either way, I do think it will be close. Kittleson's length off the tee could be a factor. Lee's lights-out putting, if he continues it, will no doubt pressure Kittleson. However, Kittleson is no slouch when it comes to the putter. He's been consistent.
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Friday, August 22, 2008
Questions
Have to wonder about Derek Fathauer's endurance. The kid has beaten some top-notch talent and has been extended in his last two matches.
Danny Lee should be watched closely. He had an ice pack on his shoulder prior to his match this morning. However, he smoked his first drive to begin his day against Morgan Hoffmann.
How will the heat affect all of the players? It's already been a long week, and the Amateur is as much a test of stamina as it is talent. Today is very warm and humid.
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Thursday, August 21, 2008
Mitchell Trumps Fowler
I feel as though I've been Rickie Fowler's personal reporter today. Just luck of the draw. Well, take this morning's match against Jake Koppenberg and flip it around. That was Fowler's fate against Adam Mitchell. Fowler just couldn't get any putts to drop and found himself down six holes through the front nine.
After erasing Fowler's 1-up lead, Mitchelle reeled off six straight victories on holes. To give you an idea of how well Mitchell was playing, Fowler won just three holes - with a birdie, eagle and par.
"He never opened the door," said Fowler. "He made it pretty hard for me. I mean, I had to make an eagle to win a hole."
Obviously Mitchell played well.
They halved just three holes. One of them will in the books as a halve, but Fowler actually conceded on their final hole.
The two are close friends from 1) playing on the Porter Cup together and 2) facing each other on the collegiate level. Mitchell plays for the University of Georgia and Fowler for Oklahoma State.
They'd banter throughout the match. On the par-5 10th, Fowler knocked in a 24-footer for his eagle and quipped with arms in the air, "I've got to do something."
"No, no, no," said Mitchell with a smile when asked if they talked smack during the match. "Just Oklahoma State and Georgia stuff."
Despite replacing three clubs at the start of the championship, Fowler said he felt comfortable. He wouldn't blame his shoddy play on his tools.
"I know how Jake felt in the morning," said Fowler. "I couldn't get any rhythm going."
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Second-Round Match
Rickie Fowler wasted little time in
flexing his muscles in his second-round match against Jake Koppenberg.
He got 5 up through the first seven holes. By that time, it just wasn't
going to come together for Koppenberg.
"I definitely didn't play the best golf of the week," said Koppenberg.
Despite putting a new driver, 3-wood and belly putter in his bag this
week, Fowler executed with aplomb. Late in the match he did start to
spray the ball, but by then it was too late. Fowler had gotten 6 up
after the front nine on Pinehurst No. 2.
Koppenberg did get a hole back on No. 10 after he struck his approach
shot within 3 feet and converted the eagle putt. The momentum didn't
last as Fowler sank a 14-foot birdie on No. 11 to win that hole.
"I feel like I played well enough to win," said Fowler off the 13th hole, where he wrapped up the match.
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Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Tough Matchup
If there are any disappointments with
match play, it can be found in the fact that the draw isn't always
fair. We had one of those today. Derek Fathauer met up with Jhonattan
Vegas earlier.
For those of you who immerse yourself in U.S. Amateur history, you'd
know that these two guys advanced far last year. Fathauer went to the
quarterfinals and Vegas lost in the semifinals.
This was one of those matchups that you wish could be played later.
Vegas seemed to seize momentum by the 13th hole, but in a twist of
fate, a he went from winning the hole outright to a loss. He flopped
out beautifully from a bunker to within 9 feet, then two-putted.
You can read the full story here.
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Final Spot
Beal claims the 64th spot in the match play bracket, making par on the sixth playoff hole -- the 378-yard, par-4 15th hole. Beal will meet medalist Robbie Fillmore of Provo, Utah, in the first round of match play at 1:10 p.m.
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Still Going
They move on to the sixth playoff hole. Beal and Newman, that is.
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Bittick In
And Bittick is now player 63. Newman and Beal are now playing for the final spot.
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Playoff
The 26-for-2 playoff is still ongoing. It's down to a 3-for-2 now. Ross Beal, Jason Bittick, Jack Newman are left.
Bittick is still hanging on after birdieing his 18th hole Tuesday just to make the playoff.
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Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Keep Playing
Nathan Smith, who won the 2003 U.S. Mid-Amateur, was red-faced and soaking wet when he finished today. Not only did the humidity get to him, but so did No. 2. He walks away with a 9-over 149, which isn't going to get him into match play.
"I played well," he said. "With 36 holes, it's kind of a sprint."
His albatross turned out to be the greens. He just couldn't sink any long putts.
With such a competitive field this week, players with any hope of advancing have to be able to convert holes into red numbers.
By the way, for you mathematicians out there, only 20 percent of the field (315) will be in match play Wednesday.
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Statues
Walking around the Pinehurst clubhouse
makes one think of Yankee Stadium's Monument Park, which features
statues and plaques of Yankees legends.
Pinehurst's statues are just beyond the 18th green, close to the
clubhouse. All except the famous 'The Golf Lad/The Golf Boy/PutterBoy'
are in the same location. Notice the various slashes when describing
'The Golf Boy' statue. No one is precisely sure what to call the
diminutive sundial, but he is the signature landmark of Pinehurst.
I can tell you this: he was sculpted as a sundial in 1912 by Lucy Richards. So there you have it.
Other statues that have been erected are Donald Ross, Robert H. Dedman
and Payne Stewart. There is also a plaque that features Richard S.
Tufts' 'Creed Of The Amateur.'
Ross' figures (there are two) were dedicated by his daughter, Lillian
Ross Pippitt, in 1991 before the PGA Tour Championship. Ross, the
father of American golf course architecture, died in 1948.
Dedman, honored for founding Club Corp. in 1957 and acquiring Pinehurst
in 1984, led the club's restoration until it was ready for championship
golf. Dedman's goal came true with the 1999 U.S. Open.
Finally, Stewart is frozen in his classic fist-pump pose from the '99
Open when he sank a 15-footer on the 18th hole to win the Open.
No doubt you can feel the history here ooze through your bones.
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Monday, August 18, 2008
Funny
As Jack Newman came off the course today, he looked frustrated. He started on the No. 2 course, going off the 10th hole. He shot 74.
When he finished, he quipped, "I probably would have played better if I didn't putt like a second-grader."
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