Tag: U.S. Amateur 2021

Split tees? Multiple weather delays force rare change of schedule at U.S. Amateur at Oakmont

The USGA was forced to make a rare change to the schedule of the U.S. Amateur.

OAKMONT, Pa. — After yet another lengthy rain delay at the 121st U.S. Amateur, the U.S. Golf Association is shaking things up with this week’s schedule.

In a rare move for the organization, the Round of 32 and Round of 16 at Oakmont Country Club will have players go off on split tees on Thursday and Friday, respectively, after a second consecutive day of play was rocked by another nearly four-hour weather delay.

The Round of 64, scheduled to finish on Wednesday, will be completed Thursday morning after Tuesday’s second round of stroke play at Oakmont and nearby Longue Vue Club was pushed to Wednesday morning. The horn blew on Wednesday afternoon just as a 12-for-1 playoff for the final match-play position was starting, also halting the start of the Round of 64.

Wednesday’s action was called due to darkness at 7:50 p.m. ET.

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Despite the delay, one match was able to finish Wednesday evening at Oakmont, which earlier in the day was announced as the USGA’s second anchor site for future championships. Florida junior Ricky Castillo got out to an early lead against Donald Kay – who had former Haskins Award winner Norman Xiong on the bag – thanks to wins on four of the first five holes. Castillo never lost a hole in the match, ultimately winning, 5 and 4.

“I was just really excited to get back out there after the weather delay,” said Castillo. “I think all of us just wanted to go out and play golf and we were sick and tired of sitting in the locker room for a few hours. Just got off to a hot start, hit few good shots, made a few good putts, and just never looked back from there. It was a good match.”

2021 U.S. Amateur
Ricky Castillo stretches out in the locker room in the middle of a rain delay during the second round of stroke play at the 2021 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa. on Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021. (Justin Aller/USGA)

Castillo arrived at the course at 6:15 a.m. ET and had to finish seven holes from his second round.

“It was nice finishing the match before it got dark and everything, because I know it’s going to be tough, especially since I have momentum in the match. When you sleep on it, momentum can change quickly. So I was glad to finish the match like that.”

The Round of 64 will continue Thursday morning at 7:30 a.m. ET, with the first matches of the Round of 32 slated to start at 1:30 p.m. ET off the 1st and 10th holes.

Pittsburgh local, West Virginia senior Mark Goetz earns medalist honors at U.S. Amateur at Oakmont

Goetz grew up 40 minutes away and shot his personal-best round at Oakmont to earn medalist honors.

OAKMONT, Pa. — Talk about a birthday gift.

A day after celebrating his 23rd trip around the sun on Tuesday, Pennsylvania local Mark Goetz earned medalist honors at the 121st U.S. Amateur, finishing the two rounds of stroke play at Longue Vue Club and Oakmont Country Club at 8 under with rounds of 64 and 68, respectively.

The fifth-year senior at West Virginia made just one bogey over the 36 holes, and it came on Wednesday morning during the continuation of the second round after play was halted for four hours due to a weather delay and stopped due to darkness on Tuesday night.

“It’s the most memorable two days of my career by a mile, there’s nothing that will even come close,” Goetz said on Tuesday. “This place can beat you to your core. It’s disgustingly hard. If you play scared out here, you’re a little bit tentative, man it’ll bite you in the butt so fast. So I really didn’t have any expectations this week, and it’s because of how difficult this place is.”

Goetz grew up in nearby Greensburg, Pennsylvania, and estimated that he’s played Oakmont a dozen or so times in his life. His 2-under 68 is his lowest score ever at Oakmont by three shots.

“I’m comfortable with where I’m at, for sure. My pace has been great on the greens this week. My caddie and I have made some great decisions and some really good reads from some pretty long and difficult putts,” explained Goetz. “I would just say comfortable with where I’m at.”

Goetz pointed towards his win last season at the Mountaineer Invitational, the first victory of his college career, as one of his key achievements thus far, and opened up on the struggles that led him to this week’s top seed.

“College golf for me has been very, very difficult,” said Goetz. “I was very fortunate to get the opportunity to play at West Virginia. I wasn’t heavily recruited and I pretty much went from square one there. I had to earn my spot and prove myself and I really wasn’t on a scholarship up until my junior year. Going from square one to being left at home and really struggling to being able to get a win in college and help the team out was, it’s kind of like comeback complete. That did a lot for me.”

After a nearly four-hour long delay on Tuesday, play was once again halted at 12:54 p.m. ET Wednesday during a 12-for-1 playoff for the final match play spot.

Three hours and 55 minutes later, the playoff and Round of 64 began. Starting on the par-4 15th, Joe Alfieri, Nicholas Dunlap and David Nyjfall each made birdie to extend the playoff to the 18th tee. Alfieri, a 52-year-old who made the field as an alternate, was eliminated with a bogey while, sending Dunlap and Nyjfall back to the 18th tee. Nyjfall, a senior at Northwestern, advanced with another par to set up a meeting with the top seed Goetz.

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U.S. Amateur rocked by lengthy weather delay; Birthday boy Mark Goetz leads

Play was halted for nearly four hours on Tuesday, shaking up the schedule for the rest of the week.

OAKMONT, Pa. — The 121st U.S. Amateur was rocked by a nearly four-hour long weather delay on Tuesday, shaking up the schedule for the rest of the week.

Play was halted at both Oakmont Country Club and Longue Vue Club at 1:34 p.m. ET midway through Tuesday’s second round of stroke play due to dangerous weather in the area. The skies cleared and the action resumed at 5:24 p.m. ET, but play was again stopped at 8 p.m. ET due to darkness before the second round could be completed.

Mark Goetz, who grew up just 30 miles from Oakmont in Greensburg, Pennsylvania, currently holds the lead at 9 under. The West Virginia fifth year fired a bogey-free 6-under 64 Monday at Longue Vue and was 3 under Tuesday at Oakmont before he was stopped after 12 holes.

“It’s the most memorable two days of my career by a mile, there’s nothing that will even come close,” said Goetz, who estimates he’s played Oakmont a dozen or so times in his life. “This place can beat you to your core. It’s disgustingly hard. If you play scared out here, you’re a little bit tentative, man it’ll bite you in the butt so fast. So I really didn’t have any expectations this week, and it’s because of how difficult this place is.”

Making the week that much more special, Goetz celebrated his 23rd birthday on Tuesday.

“I don’t think you could top this one, for sure,” said Goetz. “The two U.S. Amateurs I’ve made, the second day of stroke play has fallen on August 10. So my 21st was in Pinehurst, I had to play No. 2 the next day.”

And his plans to celebrate?

“I’m probably going to get some McDonald’s on the way home. Probably get another sweet tea and just crash.”

The second round will resume at 7:30 a.m. ET Wednesday morning, with the field of 312 players being cut to 64. If a playoff is necessary for the final spots in match play, the earliest possible start time will be 12:30 p.m. ET. The Round of 64 matches will start no earlier than 12:45 p.m ET. Match play will only be contested at Oakmont.

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How to watch the U.S. Amateur

Wednesday, Aug. 11

Peacock: 3-4 p.m. ET
Golf Channel: 4-6 p.m. ET

Thursday, Aug. 12

Peacock: 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET
Golf Channel: 12-2 p.m. ET

Friday, Aug. 13

Peacock: 11 a.m.-12 p.m. ET
Golf Channel: 12-2 p.m. ET

Saturday, Aug. 14

Golf Channel: 3-4 p.m. ET
NBC: 4-6 p.m. ET

Sunday, Aug. 15

Golf Channel: 3-4 p.m. ET
NBC: 4-6 p.m. ET

USA TODAY Sports Male Golfer of the Year Gordon Sargent hopes strong showing at U.S. Amateur propels him to success at Vanderbilt

Sargent is the two-time defending Alabama amateur champion, as well as a two-time high school state champion.

OAKMONT, Pa. — The Mountain Brook High School boys golf team, Alabama’s defending state champions, had fun punishments for the players whose scores were dropped from competition.

“We had them make some Tik-Tok’s of our choosing. Those were pretty bad,” said Gordon Sargent with a laugh. “It was a big motivator.”

Sargent, the No. 2-ranked junior player in the country, never had a score dropped and never had to record an embarrassing video. Instead the Vanderbilt-bound freshman ended an impressive high school career with his second individual state title and was named the Male Golfer of the Year last week at the inaugural USA TODAY National High School Sports Awards.

“I really enjoyed playing high school golf, it’s tough to focus sometimes but we have a pretty good team, we push each other, it was a fun time,” said Sargent after his second round at the U.S. Amateur at Oakmont Country Club. “It’ll definitely be a little more serious, college golf, but it was fun playing with our team. All the guys were great.”

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The three-time Rolex Junior All-American has played well this summer, with six top-10 finishes to his name, including a runner-up at the Western Amateur last week and a quarterfinal run at the U.S. Junior. Sargent also defended his title at the Alabama State Amateur thanks to a 9-under 62 in the third round.

“I didn’t really win a lot in junior golf, had some good finishes, but I think that was kind of a motivator to keep playing well,” said Sargent. “I’ve played pretty solid this year, haven’t been able to get it done yet but last week at the Western was a pretty big confidence booster.”

The Alabama teen has helped raise more than $150,000 for the AJGA Ace Grant and Alabama charities as the co-founder of the charity event, the Alabama Cup, alongside Reynolds Lambert. The inaugural event was hosted in 2018 at Sargent’s home course, Shoal Creek.

After this week’s event in Western Pennsylvania, Sargent will set his eyes on Nashville, Tennessee, where he’ll move in to Vanderbilt on August 21st. He’s hoping a strong showing this week will put him in head coach Scott Limbaugh’s good graces.

“Playing against the best players in the world, to compete with these guys, it’s a big learning experience,” said Sargent. “Hopefully make it to match play, win some matches and earn some exemptions for the year.”

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