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Weblog
Friday, October 09, 2009
Thanks Kiawah Island Club
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Well, the 2009 USGA championship season has come to a close. This was my eighth and final event of the year. But despite a washout on Monday, the 2009 U.S. Mid-Amateur held here at The Kiawah Island Club was a tremendous success.
I can't say enough how we were treated by staff, volunteers and members. Many thanks to golf professional Martin Short and his staff for making us feel welcome each and every morning.
And Cassique proved to be championship-worthy venue. Just walking the course each day was fun. The Tom Watson design is as aesthetically pleasing as it is challenging.
So it's definitely sad to say good-bye, but hopefully the club will invite us back sometime in the future.
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Match Over
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The 2009 U.S. Mid-Amateur is now officially in the books and Nathan Smith of Pittsburgh is your new champion, posting a 7-and-6 win over Tim Spitz. He becomes the fifth multiple champion of this event for players 25 and older, joining Jay Sigel, Jim Stuart, John "Spider" Miller and Tim Jackson. Elite company for sure.
Smith was rock steady the entire match. He had a few hiccups in the second 18, but by then he was already comfortably ahead.
Spitz simply struggled on the greens, especially in the morning 18 when he fell 8 down. So many match-play competitions come down to putting and Smith was a wizard on the greens at Cassique. He speed and distance control was phenomenal.
Over the 30 holes, Smith had 50 putts compared to 55 for Spitz. Spitz had 36 in the morning 18. He did make a few more putts in the afternoon, but again was topped by Smith. He rolled in a 15-footer for birdie at the 20th hole, only to see Smith make his 2-footer and a halve. Spitz did birdie the 29th hole for only his second win of the match, but watched Smith close out the affair in style by stuffing his approach to a foot at the 30th hole.
Spitz doesn't leave Kiawah Island empty-handed. He receives a silver medal and an exemption into next year's U.S. Amateur and a three-year exemption into the U.S. Mid-Amateur. He also gets an exemption out of local qualifying for the 2010 U.S. Open to be conducted at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Smith, of course, gets the big prize of a likely invitation to the 2010 Masters, along with exemptions to the 2010 and 2011 U.S. Amateurs and the next 10 U.S. Mid-Amateurs. He also receives a three-year exemption from local qualifying for the U.S. Open.
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Championship Match Update
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We are through the first 18 holes of the scheduled 36-hole U.S. Mid-Amateur final and Nathan Smith of Pittsburgh, Pa., has a commanding 8-up lead over Tim Spitz of Rochester, N.Y.
Smith shot the equivalent of 3-under-par 69 (with the usual match-play concessions), while Spitz struggled to a 77. Spitz's putter was extremely cold. His lone birdie came at the par-3 fifth when he hit the flagstick with his tee shot and the ball stopped 10 inches from the hole that Smith conceded. Smith then holed a 35-footer from the fringe for a halve.
Smith has been rock-solid steady. His lone mistakes came at the ninth when his tee shot found thick rough to the right of the fairway and he overshot the par-5 11th green with his third. In each instance, Smith got up and down for par.
Spitz's day could best be summed up by his 16-foot birdie putt at No. 17 that hung on the lip. His frustration on the greens clearly has worn on Spitz's patience. After three-putting the 11th green, he shouted, "Come on" loud enough to be heard in the 12th fairway.
When he brilliantly recovered from an awkward lie in rough above a fairway bunker at No. 15, Spitz answered with a sarcastic, "That's the best shot I hit all day."
Clearly, Spitz will need a comeback of the ages to beat Smith. But remember it is match play and bizarre things can happen. If anything, Spitz needs to thaw out his putter.
Here are the stats from the morning 18:
Fairways hit: Spitz (10 of 14); Smith (10 of 14)
Greens hit: Spitz (14 of 18); Smith (13 of 18)
Putts: Spitz (36); Smith (28)
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Supporting Their Man
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A couple of Monroe (N.Y.) Golf Club members, including longtime pro Jim Mrva, made the 13-hour drive from the Rochester area last night to support finalist Tim Spitz, a Rochester native who is playing in his first U.S. Mid-Amateur. The other three to drive down were Jay O'Brien, John Dobbins and Bob Dublin.
Tim's parents, Jim and Cheryl Spitz, flew into the area last night and drove to The Kiawah Island Club this morning. Also coming in last night from Alabama was longtime friend J.P. Kircher, whose father has battled Tim many times for the club championship at Monroe G.C.
Another 200 or so Monroe G.C. members are following the match back in the Rochester, N.Y., area via the Internet and text-messaging.
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Championship Final Update
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Nathan Smith of Pittsburgh, Pa., owns a 5-up lead over Tim Spitz of Rochester, N.Y., after nine holes of the U.S. Mid-Amateur final taking place at Cassique today. Smith has been ultra solid, carding the equivalent of 2-under-par 34 (with concessions) with no bogeys and two birdies.
At the par-3 fifth hole, Spitz knocked his tee shot off the flagstick to 10 inches for a conceded birdie. Smith then stepped up and rolled in a 35-footer for birdie from the fringe for a halve. A hole earlier, Smith rolled in a 24-foot birdie putt.
On the ninth hole, Smith hit a horrible drive into the deep right rough and sent his second shot short and left of the green. His third stopped 5 feet from the hole, where he made a par for a halve.
Spitz, who carded a 39, has struggled so far, especially on the greens where he has taken 17 putts.
One more note from the final: Dr. Bob Hooper of Wilmington, Del., one of the original members of the U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship Committee, is serving as the referee for the morning 18. Hooper said it's the 26th or 27th time he has worked the championship match.
"That will be pretty good if I could do another 26 or 27 [finals]," said the 74-year-old retired dentist.
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Five Great Championships
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The unseen portion of USGA Championships is the all the work that goes into every aspect of the event both on and off the course. Assigning Rules officials, setting up the golf courses and numerous pre-championship visits to the host club are among the various and sundry jobs that assure that the Championship goes off without a hitch.
At the USGA, the duty of coordinating that vast range of moving pieces falls to the Staff in Charge. Since 2005, the Staff in Charge of the U.S. Mid-Amateur has been Alli Jarrett.
A native of South Carolina, she is working her final Mid-Amateur as the Staff in Charge. It is as probable as making a one-inch putt that all of the past and present host club staff and committtees as well as the USGA personnel on site will miss her wide, sparkling smile and that familiar Southern drawl. In addition, we'll miss her attention to detail as well as her unswerving passion to build the best Championship possible for the players.
To make it short and Alli Jarrett-sweet, we convey our thanks and appreciation for a job very well done.
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Final Day
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The 36-hole championship match for the U.S. Mid-Amateur might be coming a day later than scheduled, but we're going to have a gorgeous day for golf. Again the sun is out this morning and we are expecting temperatures to climb into the low 80s.
The morning 18 commences at 8 a.m. EDT, with the afternoon 18 scheduled for 12:30 p.m.
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Thursday, October 08, 2009
Perks For Mid-Amateur Finalists
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Here's a rundown for what the winner and runner-up receive at the U.S. Mid-Amateur. The champion gets custody of the Robert T. Jones Memorial Trophy for one year as well as a gold medal, the same one that the U.S. Open champion receives.
The champion also earns a 10-year exemption to the U.S. Mid-Amateur, a two-year exemption from qualifying for the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links (if eligible), a three-year exemption from local qualifying for the U.S. Open and the biggest gem of them all, a likely invitation to the 2010 Masters.
The runner-up also receives a three-year exemption from qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur, an exemption into the 2010 U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links (if eligible) and an exemption from local qualifying for the 2010 U.S. Open. He also receives a silver medal.
The semifinalists received bronze medals and a two-year exemption from qualifying for the U.S. Mid-Amateur.
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Last Hurrah
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Nathan Smith will be the first to tell you he's played a lot of golf this yerar. Because of his desire to make the 2009 USA Walker Cup team, he entered more amateur events than usual, which left him begging his bosses for time off.
Fortunately, Smith works with some wonderful partners who understand his competitive golf schedule. That schedule, however, will end on Friday when he plays the 36-hole U.S. Mid-Amateur final at The Kiawah Island Club's Cassique.
"I may need MapQuest to find the office," quipped Smith.
And don't look for Smith to be wearing anything but a pink golf shirt. He's been donning a U.S. Amateur pink shirt for the last couple of days. He says the pink shirt is to honor Breast Cancer Awareness Week. But it also could be a good-luck charm as well.
"Pink shirts do look alike," said Smith with a wry smile. "You may see it again tomorrow."
And why not. Smith has had a tremendous run to the championship match, where he'll face Tim Spitz of Rochester, N.Y.
A win and Smith would match the feat achieved by Trip Kuehne two years ago. Kuehne was on the victorious Walker Cup team, then helped Pennsylvania win the USGA Men's State Team title outside of Houston and finally claimed the U.S. Mid-Amateur in early October at Bandon Dunes.
Last month, Smith was on a winning Walker Cup side and helped Pennsylvania take the Men's State Team title. He can add the U.S. Mid-Amateur championship on Friday.
"Trip's done a bejillion more things than I'll ever do," said Smith. "It's an honor to be in a sentence with him."
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All Square
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Robert Gerwin just rolled in an 8-foot par putt to square his semifinal match with 2009 USA Walker Cup member Nathan Smith. Smith had a 20-footer for par and missed. Gerwin got up and down for par from a greenside bunker.
Both semifinals are now on Cassique's second nine.
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Semifinal Update
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The first semifinal between Tim Spitz and Patrick Carter has just made the turn all square, but both players have squandered opportunities. Spitz could have been 2 up after two, but three-putted the first hole and missed a relatively short birdie putt at the par-5 second. Carter just missed a 6-foot birdie at the ninth. Each player has won one hole.
In the other semifinal, Nathan Smith has never trailed Bob Gerwin, although the birthday boy (Gerwin turned 43 today) is hanging right there with the 2009 USA Walker Cup member. Gerwin made a super up-and-down birdie at the par-5 sixth hole to earn a halve after Smith knocked his fairway-metal approach on the green and two-putted for birdie.
At the par-3 seventh, Gerwin got up and down again from just short and right of the green, holing a 5-foot par putt to win the hole and cut Smith's lead to 1 up. Smith missed a 15-foot par putt after his tee shot came up 10 yards short of the green.
Gerwin did have a pair of three-putts over the first three holes. He three-putted the first hole and halved it and then lipped out a 4-footer at three to lose the hole.
That match is currently on the ninth hole.
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Semifinal Day
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Well, we were supposed to be playing the 36-hole final today, but Mother Nature put a wrinkle into the scheduling, so we'll play the semifinals this morning and the 36-hole final on Friday.
At least we have gorgeous weather for the semis. There's not a cloud in the sky and we have a gentle breeze. A perfect day for golf.
A few tidbits about the semifinalists:
Patrick Carter of Huntington, W.Va., has played the least amount of holes over his four matches (56), while Tim Spitz of Rochester, N.Y., has played the most holes at 70. He has had one extra-hole match. Nathan Smith of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Robert Gerwin of Cincinnati, Ohio have played 63 and 64 holes, respectively. They will face off in the second semifinal.
Carter is the only semifinalist who has never trailed in a match nor has he played past the 15th hole.
Spitz, on the other hand, loves the first nine at Cassique. He is the equivalent of six under par over 38 holes, with the usual match-play concessions.
Carter also could become the first USGA champion from the state of West Virginia since William C. Campbell won the USGA Senior Amateur in 1980. Carter is a 12-time West Virginia State Amateur champion.
Smith, on the other hand, is going for a triple crown of sorts. He already has played on winning teams at the 2009 Walker Cup and USGA Men's State Team Championship (Pennsylvania). Trip Kuehne also complete this rare triple in 2007 when he helped Texas claim the Men's State Team and was on the winning USA Walker Cup squad at Royal County Down. He ended the magical run at Bandon Dunes Resort with the Mid-Amateur title, making him the third member of his golfing family to claim an individual USGA title.
The last time the Mid-Amateur went one extra day was in 1997 when Ken Bakst won the title at Dallas Athletic Club.
And a happy 43rd birthday to Gerwin. Playing the semifinals in a USGA championship is not a bad present.
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Wednesday, October 07, 2009
All-Paladin Final?
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The nine South Carolina entrants in the 2009 U.S. Mid-Amateur have all since departed The Kiawah Island Club, but that doesn't mean we don't have a Palmetto State connection in the semifinals.
Robert Gerwin and Tim Spitz, both graduates of Furman University in Greenville, S.C., could wind up facing each other in Friday's 36-hole championship match. Of course, Nathan Smith and Patrick Carter could have something to say about that. Smith faces Gerwin and Carter takes on Spitz.
Both Gerwin and Spitz traveled south to attend Furman; Gerwin from Cincinnati and Spitz from Rochester, N.Y. Each wanted to play golf in the warm confines of the south and in a small Division I environment.
"My parents had a heart attack because I had all this Catholic education and I go to a Baptist school [for college]," laughed Gerwin, who graduated in 1989, eight years ahead of Spitz.
Spitz landed on the Furman radar after winning the International Junior Masters at East Aurora (N.Y.) Country Club. Some smaller Division II and III schools were interested in his services, but he chose Furman because it competed in Division I. As a senior in 1997, he helped the Paladins win the Southern Conference title in a playoff over East Tennessee State.
Spitz birdied the first two holes of the playoff, including a 30-footer on the second extra hole. His teammate and 2009 U.S. Mid-Amateur participant Jordan Byrd also birdied the second playoff hole.
Spitz said he was unaware that Gerwin was a Furman alum and vice versa. By Friday morning, the folks at The Kiawah Island Club could be humming the Furman fight song on the first tee.
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Answering The Call
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When Robert Gerwin arrived at Cassique Wednesday morning to resume his second-round match with Jerry Chang he didn't realize he would be scrambling for a caddie. But Gerwin found himself in desperate mode when his friend from Cincinnati, Andy Giannella, who had been carrying his bag all week suddenly was summoned back to work. Giannella dropped Gerwin off at the golf course before dawn and wished him luck before departing for Cincinnati.
Gerwin came into the pro shop and inquired about a caddie. At 6:30 a.m., Andrew Levanchy, who has been a club caddie for about a year, was contacted.
"I was surprised he answered the phone," said Gerwin, whose other four friends left on Sunday.
Levanchy promptly showed up and walked all 36 holes as Gerwin posted three wins en route to advancing to the U.S. Mid-Amateur semifinals for the first time.
Levanchy has now earned at least another day's work and if all things go well on Thursday, he could be carrying for a finalist.
"I guess I'll be getting a lot of texts, saying 'I wish I'd stayed,' " said Gerwin. "They didn't know I would be here for seven days."
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Quarterfinal Update
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A quick update on the quarterfinals. Christopher Marin birdied the eighth hole to take a 1-up lead on 2003 champion and 2009 USA Walker Cup member Nathan Smith. Marin had a golden chance for a 2-up advantage, but lipped out an 8-foot birdie at the ninth.
Pat Carter made a brilliant up-and-down bogey at the ninth after taking an unplayable lie from behind the green in gnarly high grass. He flopped a pitch to 8 feet and holed a putt for bogey, while his opponent Todd Burgan failed to get up and down for par from a greenside bunker. Carter remained 5 up at the time, but lost the 11th hole.
Robert Gerwin just took a 1-up lead at the sixth hole over defending champion Steve Wilson. Gerwin turns 43 on Thursday, so a spot in the semifinals would be a nice birthday present.
Tim Spitz just had a winning par at the 10th hole to go 3 up on Tripp Davis. Spitz, a Rochester, N.Y., resident, is playing in his first U.S. Mid-Amateur, but does have South Carolina ties. He attended Furman University, as did Gerwin. Gerwin now resides in Cincinnati.
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A Championship For The Ages
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Players must be 25 years of age or older to compete in the U.S. Mid-Amateur but that doesn't necessarily mean the potential winner is just three or four years out of college.
The 16 players competing in the third round include one in his 50s (Randy Lewis, 52), eight in their 40s, six in their 30s and one in his 20s (Andrew Medley, 29).
If the previous 28 Mid-Amateurs are an indication, the winner has a better chance of being in his 30s (17 times) than in his 40s (eight times) or his 20s (three times).
George Zahringer was the oldest winner at 49 in 2002. Nathan Smith, still in the field here, was the youngest at 25 in 2003.
By Pete Kowalski
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Second Round Over ... At Last
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Defending champion Steve Wilson made a par at the first extra hole to outlast Scott Harvey in the final second-round match. Wilson is one of two past champions still remaining in the field. Nathan Smith, the 2003 winner, has also advanced to the round of 16.
Wilson gets a third-round match-up with Jeff Wilson. The Wilson-Wilson match-up isn't the first of the championship for players of similar surnames. On Tuesday, Nathan Smith eliminated Brandon Smith in the second round.
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Second Round Continues
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Defending champion Steve Wilson just missed a 6-foot par putt at 18 that would have ended his second-round match with Scott Harvey. It is the final second-round match still going on. They are headed to the first tee. The winner faces Jeff Wilson and faces the possibility of playing 40 or more holes of golf today. Wilson and Harvey have already played nine holes this morning.
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Natural Wonder
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 Even if you don't like golf, Cassique is a wonderful place to just walk around and take in the natural surroundings. On the second nine, you have gorgeous views of the marshes, but there's also plenty of wildlife to be discovered on the Tom Watson-designed course being used for match play at this year's U.S. Mid-Amateur.
Among the creatures to be seen are the omnipresent alligators that meander in the plethora of ponds. Yesterday while walking down the 11th fairway, I saw a tiny gato r that was comfortably resting on the side of the pond. It's amazing how still they are.
You can also hear the sounds of mullets jumping in and out of the water. These fish are quite impressive when they hurtle their bodies into the air to swat insects.
The course also is a sanctuary for a variety species of birds, including herons. USGA officials even encountered some snakes while marking the course for the competition earlier last week. There are turtles and crabs and catfish and deer roaming all over the place.
Who says you have to go to a zoo to see wonderful creatures of habitat. It's quite impress
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Golf Underway
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The second round of match play resumed at 7:20 this morning and we've already had two matches end. Christopher Marin of Monterey, Calif., eliminated two-time champion Tim Jackson on the 20th hole. Jackson has had quite a summer. The 50 year old led the U.S. Senior Open after 36 holes and became the oldest medalist in U.S. Amateur history in August at Southern Hills C.C.
It looks like we're going to have a nice day, although there is a chance for a shower or even a thunderstorm in the middle of the day. Let's hope we can have another full day of golf. The hope is to be down to four players by dusk.
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