Ogletree alongside the famous statue of Payne Stewart – click to expand – USGA Chris Keane
21 year old Mississippi golfer, Andy Ogletree, has won the US Amateur Championship in Pinehurst, North Carolina, overcoming an early deficit before finally hitting the front at the 32nd hole and going on to win the 36 hole encounter 2&1 over Kentucky’s John Augenstein.
Played over both the Pinehurst No 4 and No 2 layouts, the first time two different venues have been used for the final of this time honoured and prestigious event, Augenstein began as the favourite and higher world ranked golfer but Ogletree wore him down with relentless play over the more demanding Pinehurst No 2.
3 down at lunch and after completing the Pinehurst No 4 contest of the morning, Ogletree won the opening two holes of the afternoon round and when he finally squared the match at the 31st hole the momentum had definitely swung in his favour.
He took the lead for the first time in the final with a solid par to Augenstein’s bogey at the 33th hole and then, when Augenstein made a mess of the 35th hole, it was all over.
“I showed a lot of resilience out there and never gave up,” said Ogletree, who was playing in his fifth USGA championship. “I kept telling myself I’m going to win this championship, and just always believed that.”
When asked about what this week had taught him about himself Ogletree would say; “That I can play at the highest level and perform. Basically just that.
“I felt like the more nervous I got, the better I hit it. For some people that takes a lot to learn, and it just kind of came with it today. I don’t really know. I didn’t go through training for that. I mean, no one can‑‑ you can’t be put in that situation unless you’ve been there before.
“You just kind of have to learn on the fly, and it just went my way today, and I learned that I can handle the pressure, I can handle the heat, and I can still perform.”
For winning the U.S. Amateur, Ogletree receives a gold medal and custody of the Havemeyer Trophy for one year. His name will be on a plaque in the Hall of Champions at the USGA Golf Museum in Liberty Corner, N.J. He receives an exemption into the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y.
He also earns a 10-year exemption into the U.S. Amateur, a likely invitation to the 2020 Masters Tournament and an exemption into the 149th Open Championship conducted by The R&A, provided he remains an amateur.
Ogletree was asked the value of the support and upbringing his parents had provided to him on his journey into and through golf to this point.
“Just being humble and being thankful for everything you’re given definitely helps me on and off the course. Yeah, I can’t say enough to my parents and friends back home, just the way they raised me and the way they made me to be, and just, yeah, I’ll never be able to thank them enough.
“But I think it definitely helps to have a good upbringing and be, I guess, held in line by your parents. I mean, I can remember breaking a golf club when I was younger, and my dad was‑‑ that’s the maddest I’ve ever seen him, I think, and he made me work to buy a new shaft and I had to play a tournament without a 56‑degree and all that kind of stuff.
“But yeah, I think all of those things definitely help, and it kind of puts into perspective that golf is sometimes not that big a deal. I mean, you could be doing a lot worse stuff than playing Pinehurst No.2 and hitting a bad shot, so it’s pretty cool.”
Andy Ogletree overcomes John Augenstein to win US Amateur
Ogletree alongside the famous statue of Payne Stewart – click to expand – USGA Chris Keane
21 year old Mississippi golfer, Andy Ogletree, has won the US Amateur Championship in Pinehurst, North Carolina, overcoming an early deficit before finally hitting the front at the 32nd hole and going on to win the 36 hole encounter 2&1 over Kentucky’s John Augenstein.
Played over both the Pinehurst No 4 and No 2 layouts, the first time two different venues have been used for the final of this time honoured and prestigious event, Augenstein began as the favourite and higher world ranked golfer but Ogletree wore him down with relentless play over the more demanding Pinehurst No 2.
3 down at lunch and after completing the Pinehurst No 4 contest of the morning, Ogletree won the opening two holes of the afternoon round and when he finally squared the match at the 31st hole the momentum had definitely swung in his favour.
He took the lead for the first time in the final with a solid par to Augenstein’s bogey at the 33th hole and then, when Augenstein made a mess of the 35th hole, it was all over.
“I showed a lot of resilience out there and never gave up,” said Ogletree, who was playing in his fifth USGA championship. “I kept telling myself I’m going to win this championship, and just always believed that.”
When asked about what this week had taught him about himself Ogletree would say; “That I can play at the highest level and perform. Basically just that.
“I felt like the more nervous I got, the better I hit it. For some people that takes a lot to learn, and it just kind of came with it today. I don’t really know. I didn’t go through training for that. I mean, no one can‑‑ you can’t be put in that situation unless you’ve been there before.
“You just kind of have to learn on the fly, and it just went my way today, and I learned that I can handle the pressure, I can handle the heat, and I can still perform.”
For winning the U.S. Amateur, Ogletree receives a gold medal and custody of the Havemeyer Trophy for one year. His name will be on a plaque in the Hall of Champions at the USGA Golf Museum in Liberty Corner, N.J. He receives an exemption into the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y.
He also earns a 10-year exemption into the U.S. Amateur, a likely invitation to the 2020 Masters Tournament and an exemption into the 149th Open Championship conducted by The R&A, provided he remains an amateur.
Ogletree was asked the value of the support and upbringing his parents had provided to him on his journey into and through golf to this point.
“Just being humble and being thankful for everything you’re given definitely helps me on and off the course. Yeah, I can’t say enough to my parents and friends back home, just the way they raised me and the way they made me to be, and just, yeah, I’ll never be able to thank them enough.
“But I think it definitely helps to have a good upbringing and be, I guess, held in line by your parents. I mean, I can remember breaking a golf club when I was younger, and my dad was‑‑ that’s the maddest I’ve ever seen him, I think, and he made me work to buy a new shaft and I had to play a tournament without a 56‑degree and all that kind of stuff.
“But yeah, I think all of those things definitely help, and it kind of puts into perspective that golf is sometimes not that big a deal. I mean, you could be doing a lot worse stuff than playing Pinehurst No.2 and hitting a bad shot, so it’s pretty cool.”
Finalists Decided at US Amateur Championship
The rather impressive action of Andy Ogletree – courtesy of USGA Chris Keane
Amateur golf’s most significant event, the US Amateur Championship, has reached the Finals in Pinehurst in North Carolina with Mississippi’s Andy Ogletree and Kentucky’s John Augustein to face off in tomorrow’s 36 hole final.
The championship match will be played over Pinehurst Resort’s No 2 and No 4 courses, both used in the stroke-play qualifying earlier in the week before the knockout matches leading into today’s semi-finals focused on Pinehurst No 2.
Ogletree defeated 17-year old Cohen Trilio 3&1 in today’s semi while Augustein accounted for William Holcomb 3&2.
Both finalists are 21 years of age and are in their final years at their respective colleges, Ogletree at Georgia State and Augustein at Vanderbilt. It is not since Matt Kuchar in 1997 that Georgia State has had a finalist in the US Amateur Championship and since Luke List in 2004 for Vanderbilt.
Augustein is ranked more than 80 places higher than Ogletree in the World Amateur rankings but match-play works in strange ways as was evident on Wednesday when the Medallist, Brandon Wu, was eliminated by the 64th ranked qualifier Austin Squires in the opening round of match-play.
Augustein was buoyed today by a text from the leader of the BMW Championship, Justin Thomas, amongst others, prior to the semi final.
“Last night I slept awesome and felt great. I got lots of encouragement, and talked to Theo [Humphrey, a 2017 U.S. Amateur semifinalist from Vanderbilt], who was in my position a couple years back about what he kind of felt going into that round, and then also was fortunate enough to get a text from Justin Thomas about what he was feeling when he was going through it. Talking to both of those guys really helped me.”
Ogletree might be ranked lower than his opponent but is motivated by some comments about the credentials held by both finalists.
“I’ve actually never played with John, which is crazy, because we’ve grown up playing the same tournaments forever, and we play Vanderbilt in a lot of tournaments.
“I know he’s a competitor. A lot of people say he’s a bulldog. But I actually just saw a Tweet that said John is the only one with credentials here. That’s kind of got me motivated and ready to go tomorrow.”
Both players have earned berths in the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot G.C., as well as likely invitations to the 2020 Masters Tournament. The winner will also earn a spot on the 2019 USA Walker Cup Team and in the 2020 Open Championship, conducted by The R&A.
Augustein in action today – photo USGA / Chris Keane
Percy and Luck Well Placed in Columbus
Curtis Luck – improved sharply today
Australians Cameron Percy in 8th place and Curtis Luck (17th) are well enough positioned as the opening event of the Korn Ferry Tour finals, the Nationwide Children’s Hospitals Championship heads into the weekend in Columbus in Ohio.
Both players are chasing PGA Tour cards via the three event series which brings together the leading 75 from this season’s Korn Ferry Tour standings and the players finishing between 126th and 200th in the FedEx Cup standings as they chase one of the 25 PGA Tour cards still on offer for the 2019/2019 season.
Percy was ten shots worse than his opening round of 64 today but he is just four shots from the lead in the US1 million event.
Luck recovered from his slow start yesterday with a round of 67 today to move into a share of 17th and five from the lead.
Luck earned his first PGA Tour card via this series last year, a 5th place finish in this event playing a key role in that achievement.
Sydney’s Jamie Arnold is 24th and six shots from the lead, Cameron Davis 44th and Rhein Gibson 58th.
Gibson is already assured of his PGA Tour status next season after finishing inside the top 25 of the Korn Ferry Tour standings in 2019.
New Zealanders Tim Wilkinson and Steve Alker, along with Australian Brett Coletta, missed the cut although Wilkinson regained PGA Tour status recently.
Adam Scott Loses Ground at BMW Championship
Scott loses ground but not out of it – file phot0
Adam Scott was unable to build on his fine start to the BMW Championship in Chicago and although he still recorded a 1 under par second round of 71, he lost 13 places and as the event heads into the weekend he finds himself in a share of 21st place.
It was a frustrating day for Scott, two birdies on the way to the turn had him set up for a strong finish but the homeward nine saw him unable to move forward.
In fact, he would drop a shot at the 16th hole to finish at 6 under for his opening 36 holes and six shots from the halfway leader, Hideki Matsuyama.
Jason Day was once again unable to build any momentum in his round of 71 to be at 3 under and in a share of 40th place while the only other Australian to make it into the field of 69, Marc Leishman, was round in 71 to finish at 1 under and in 58th place.
Day has slipped to 50th in the FedEx Cup standings and as such will need an exceptional weekend is he is to force his way into the leading thirty players who will be off the the Tour Championship next week.
Both Adam Scott and Marc Leishman appear safe to play the Tour Championship.
The leader, Matsuyama, has not won in two years on the PGA Tour and, in fact, has missed two of his last four cuts but his 9 under par round of 63 today swept him into a one-shot lead over Patrick Cantlay and Tony Finau.
Joint first-round leader, Justin Thomas, is another shot back and alone in 4th place.
Scores
Birthday Boy Vilips Eliminated at US AM
Karl Vilips during today’s match – Photo courtesy of USGA / Chris Keane
An 18th birthday is supposed to be a big day for a teenager but the now 18-year old Australian, Karl Vilips, won’t necessarily be seeing it that way having been beaten in the quarter-final of the US Amateur Championship at Pinehurst No 2 today.
Vilips, who turned 18 today, looked so impressive through his opening three match-play encounters and had never been behind at any stage, but in today’s match against American, William Holcomb, he was 2 down through 4 holes and never really got into the match from that point.
He continued to hit a lot of fine shots but was unable to convert any of the chances he created and was unable to record a birdie in the 15 holes he played in today’s weather affected round.
Play was delayed for around an hour early in his afternoon match but even the delay could not reverse the momentum Holcomb was enjoying, the Texan 4 up at the turn. Although Vilips clawed one back at the 11th the match would eventually finish at the par 3 15th.
Vilips, who is scheduled to attend Stanford University in 2020 was impressive throughout the week however a second round of 65 in the opening 36 holes of stroke-play followed by some strong play throughout his opening three knockout encounters.
Vilips will play for the International side in the Junior Presidents Cup later this year.
The Australian challenge is therefore over, Sydney’s Blake Windred eliminated in round one and Brisbane’s Jack Trent beaten in the Round of 32.
Karl Vilips Through to Quarter Finals at US Am
Vilips in action today – photo USGA Chris Reaves
17-year-old Karl Vilips has kept Australian hopes of a 3rd US Amateur Championship title alive by winning both his Round of 32 and Round of 16 matches on a hot day in Pinehurst, North Carolina today.
Vilips defeated American Steven Fisk in the morning round and in his afternoon encounter with the 2016 runner-up to Australian Curtis Luck in this event, Brad Dalke, he continued his impressive run with a 3&1 victory.
Vilips has never been behind in his three matches to date and tomorrow he takes on Texan William Holcomb who is playing his second US Amateur Championship.
“It was definitely my hardest match this week,” said Vilips. “You know, I was 5-under with no bogeys, and he just grinded it out, made a few birdies or I made pars, and I just did the same thing I’ve done the previous two matches: Get up early in the match and never lose the lead.
“It was definitely my most stressful match out there. Yeah, we just played really good golf.”
Playing the amount of amateur golf events he has, some of them at the elite level, has allowed Vilips to learn his trade and compete with the best players in amateur golf.
“Kind of shows me that I can play against anyone. That definitely helped me a lot today, playing Steven and Brad. Just being able to place top 10 in those elite fields like the Western Am, Pac Coast, Northeast, it really just gave me confidence that my game is good enough to compete with these guys.”
Vilips would become the third Australian to win amateur golf’s most significant men’s title, following in the footsteps of Nick Flanagan and Curtis Luck, should he make it all the way through this week.
Indonesian born but Perth raised before heading to the US to play junior golf and attend junior school from the age of 11, Vilips is schedule to attend Stanford University in 2020 but he is already being touted as a rising star of world golf having won events such as the Southern Amateur Championship in 2018 and numerous junior championships in the US.
Brisbane’s, Jack Trent, was the other Australian to make it into the Round of 32 but was agonisingly defeated in his morning match by the brother of standout English professional, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Alex Fitzpatrick taking the match at the 21st after Trent had taken a 1 up lead to the 18th hole before a playoff was required.
Timely return to form for Cameron Percy
Cameron Percy – file photo – click to expand
Australian golfer, Cameron Percy, has a share of the lead at the opening event of the Korn Ferry Tour finals, the Nationwide Children’s Hospital Championship in Columbus in Ohio, Percy looking to regain full PGA Tour status after finishing 58th in the Korn Ferry Tour (ex Web.Com Tour) standings in 2019.
Percy, who missed the cut in this event twelve months ago, opened with a round of 7 under the highlight coming when holing from the fairway at the demanding 11th hole to move to 6 under par.
The 45 year old shares the lead with one of the game’s hottest young stars, Viktor Hovland, who, despite several good finishes on the PGA Tour since turning professional recently is required to go through the Korn Ferry Tour finals in an attempt to gain PGA Tour status for 2020.
Percy has played only ten events in 2019, all of those on the Korn Ferry Tour events, recording a best of 5th in Panama early in the season.
The leading twenty-five players, not otherwise exempt for 2020 at the completion of the three events, gain PGA Tour status for next season in addition to another 25 who graduated from the season long Korn Ferry Tour in 2019.
Typically, one good finish in the series, perhaps a top five, is enough to get the job done and so Percy has made a great start as he chases a return to the PGA Tour which he has played on an irregular basis since first becoming a member in 2010.
Lismore’s Rhein Gibson, who already has his 2020 PGA Tour card via the season long Korn Ferry Tour, opened with a round of 68 to be tied for 8th place, while Curtis Luck recovered from a double bogey at the 10th to birdie three of his last four holes for a round of 70 to be tied for 31st.
Luck had a disappointing rookie season on the PGA Tour this year but as he did last year he is now chasing that one good finish in the finals to again earn the right to play in the big league next year.
Jamie Arnold was round in 71 and Brett Coletta and Cameron Davis 73.
Karl Vilips and Jack Trent remain alive at US Am
The US Amateur Championship trophy – USGA – click to expand
17-year old US based Perth golfer, Karl Vilips, and Brisbane’s, Jack Trent, are the only Australian survivors following the completion of the opening round of match-play at the US Amateur Championship in Pinehurst in North Carolina.
They, along with Sydney’s Blake Windred, were the only Australians to make it into the 64 players to graduate from the 36 hole stroke-play stage of the event after Sydney’s, Jordan Garner, missed out in a 27 man playoff for just three spots in the final field, earlier in the day.
Windred, who finished 12th in the qualifying, was defeated by American John Pak, squandering an early 3 up lead to eventually lose 3&1.
Trent, who is currently attending the University of Nevada, recovered from an early setback when losing the 2nd hole but squared the match at the next and was never behind from that point on and eventually won 4&3.
Jack Trent in action today – courtesy of USGA Chris Reaves
The remarkably talented and credentialed Vilips was out in the last match of the day and was 2 up through two holes before his American opponent, Jansen Smith, staged a comeback to square the match at the 10th and from that point there was never more than one hole in it until Vilips parred the 16th to go 2 up.
When both parred the 17th the match was over, 2&1 in Vilips’ favour.
In tomorrow’s Round of 32 Trent will face Alex Fitzpatrick of England, brother of European Tour star Matthew and a sophomore at Wake Forest University, while Vilips takes on Steven Fisk of Georgia, a player good enough to have finished runner-up behind Matthew Wolff at the NCAA Championship earlier this year.
New Zealander Daniel Hillier was another to lose out in the playoff for a place in the final 64, eliminated when he could only par the third hole of extra time.
Australia’s highest-ranked golfer David Micheluzzi was forced to return to the course this morning to complete his round but missed out on the playoff by two shots.
The biggest surprise of the opening round of knockout matches was the elimination of the man who led the qualifying, Brandon Wu, who was beaten by the 64th qualifier, Austin Squires, who only just crept into the field following success in the morning playoff for final places.
Squires birdied the last hole to win 2 up after never being behind throughout the match.
Betting on PGA, European and Korn Ferry Tours Aug 15th
The first of the Korn Ferry Tour Finals, the second of the FedEx Cup Playoffs and the return of the European Tour in Prague feature this week as we look at betting options on events worldwide.
Three Australians Guaranteed to Advance at US Amateur
Blake Windred today – courtesy of USGA Michael Reaves
Three Australians have advanced to the leading 64 players to qualify for the match-play phase of the US Amateur Championship at the Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst North Carolina, NSW’s Blake Windred the best of them when he finished in a share of 12th place at 1 over par.
Fifty of the 312 players in the field are yet to finish their rounds after darkness forced abandonment of play, an hour-long weather delay earlier forcing the stroke-play into overtime on Wednesday morning US time.
Their performance could potentially add to the Australasian contingent through to next phase of amateur golf’s finest male amateur championship but New Zealand’s Daniel Hillier and Australians Jordan Garner and David Micheluzzi will need a near miracle to advance.
Playing on the more demanding Pinehurst # 2 layout on day two, Windred recorded a round of 74 to go with his opening 67 at Pinehurst # 4 yesterday.
US-based Perth golfer, Karl Vilips, rebounded from his opening 77 at Pinehurst # 2 yesterday with a round of 65 today, the equal best of the week thus far, catapulting the 17-year old up the leaderboard and into a share of 18th place.
Karl Vilips today – courtesy of USGA Chris Keane
Also through is Brisbane golfer, Jack Trent, now studying at the University of Nevada who, despite a second round of 76 today, is currently in 46th place and assured a place in the final field.
“Yeah, it feels good,” said Windred. “It’s a little bit of a relief. It’s just a tough course, isn’t it, so you don’t know — you can never be comfortable out there, I feel.
“I hit a lot of good shots today, so that was a good sign. But yeah, the course really held up pretty tough. But no, I am very happy to go through.”
New Zealander Daniel Hillier is currently in 67th place as is Sydney’s Jordan Garner and their fate will be determined by how the balance of the field finish their rounds on Wednesday.
Even if they were to squeeze into the top 64 their chances of making the field for the match play is likely to be determined by a playoff, that appearing their only hope now.
David Micheluzzi, Australia’s leading ranked player and the third-ranked amateur in the world, is currently in 92nd place with just one hole to play after being stranded by darkness and he will need a birdie at the last and help from others if he is to have any chance.
Josh Armstrong was the other Australian in the field but he finished well back.