Right Attitude Key To Marsh’s Run To U.S. Mid-Amateur Title

By David Shefter, USGA

Chattanooga, Tenn. – The letter still remains in Kevin Marsh’s possession. When the envelope arrived from the USGA that December day three years ago, it was one of the happiest moments of his life. He got his amateur status back, thus ending a tough three-year chapter.

The professional golf experience and the dream of making it to the PGA Tour would not become a reality and Marsh was prepared to move on to the next stage of adulthood. Regaining his amateur status would still offer the chance to compete, but without the pressure or daily grind attached to it.

He could relax again, something he did while acting as Pepperdine University’s interim men’s golf coach at the 1997 NCAA Division I Championships at Conway Farms outside of Chicago, and something the 32-year-old from Las Vegas, Nev., did all this week at The Honors Course, where he managed to survive a grueling marathon to capture the 2005 U.S. Mid-Amateur, defeating Carlton Forrester of Birmingham, Ala., 10 and 9, in Thursday’s 36-hole final.

Since posting a 64 in the second round of stroke-play qualifying at Black Creek Club, the other course used in qualifying, Marsh was at ease with himself and his game. Sure there were tough matches, especially the opening rounder against 1997 Mid-Amateur champion Ken Bakst, which he pulled out, 1 up. And there was the 3-and-2 victory over defending champion Austin Eaton III in the round of 16.

But this was a kinder, gentler Marsh, not the guy who would beat himself up over a poor performance at a mini-tour event. He didn’t need to grind for a paycheck or a spot on the money list. This was just golf. Win or lose, he would go home to his commercial real estate business in Las Vegas.

He had that same attitude with the guys after Pepperdine men’s golf coach John Geiberger contracted chicken pox just as the team arrived on site for the 1997 NCAAs. Marsh had driven up with three other friends from the Hooters Tour to take in a few Chicago Cubs games and watch the tournament.

But all of a sudden, Pepperdine needed someone to guide the squad. Geiberger handed Marsh his tournament credentials and bestowed him the honor of guiding the team. Marsh was friendly with virtually the entire squad, having competed just a year earlier. And he was still around the campus in the fall of 1996 to finish up his studies and get his degree.

Marsh, a third-team All-America at Pepperdine in 1993-94, joked and laughed with the team, putting everyone in a relaxed mode, something he couldn’t seem to master as a professional golfer.

Pepperdine went out and won the team championship for the only time in school history. Marsh retired from coaching on top.

Eight years later, he has added another national championship to his mantle, but this one belongs solely to him.

“My whole life I have been very blessed and very lucky, and I couldn’t be any happier than I am right now,” said Marsh after accepting the Bobby Jones Trophy and receiving the gold medal as the U.S. Mid-Amateur champion. “As a pro, I just felt like every week I was trying to make a cut, make a check [or] calling people asking for money. I didn’t enjoy it. As year two and year three went on, I knew I shouldn’t be out there because I didn’t have the right attitude. If you can’t have fun playing this game, don’t play it.”

Marsh thoroughly enjoyed his week in Chattanooga, even after shooting a 78 at The Honors Course last Saturday in the first round of qualifying. He worked out a few kinks at the driving range at Black Creek before shooting the 64, two off the competitive course record. As the week wore on, his game got better and better, and so did his confidence. On Thursday against the 29-year-old Forrester, also a former All-American performer at Georgia Tech, Marsh shot the equivalent of six under par for the 27 holes, including a 67 in the morning 18 with the usual match-play concessions.

Never giving his opponent a chance to breathe, Marsh simply kept his foot on the gas the entire match. He only lost three holes, and one came on a chip-in for eagle at the 20th, and another on a short birdie at the 23rd.

Last year’s bitter extra-hole loss in the quarterfinals to Wright Waddell after he had a 2-up lead with two to play was an experience that remained with Marsh as did his experience playing Muirfield last month at the British Mid-Amateur.

“No disrespect to Carlton, but my mindset going into today was that Carlton was just another player that I wanted to beat,” said Marsh. “I really tried to downplay what we were playing for. I didn’t ever really think about it. I just focused on beating Carlton.”

David Shefter is a USGA staff writer. E-mail him with questions or comments at dshefter@usga.org.