Michigan at the U.S. Amateur Updates: Aug. 20
8/12/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Aug. 20, 2016
The University of Michigan men's golf team will have three golfers competing in the 2016 U.S. Amateur -- Kyle Mueller, Tom Swanson and Nick Carlson. All three will play a 36-hole stroke-play qualifier on Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 15-16) to try and earn a top-64 position to advance to match play.
Day 6 Update (Friday, Aug. 20)
Nick Carlson
With a packed Maize and Blue gallery and a dramatic semifinal match at Oakland Hills Country Club, Nick Carlson's magical U.S. Amateur run came to an end, as he lost in 21 holes to No. 28 Curtis Luck (Australia).
After knocking off three top-45 ranked World Amateurs over the last two days, Carlson faced his fourth with Luck. Teeing off in the first group, Carlson quickly went 2-up. After a pair of missed early match putts, Luck gave the first two holes to Carlson, who seemed poised and ready for the semifinal.
After a pair of birdies on the par-3 third, a clipped tree on Carlson's approach on the fourth hole cost him as he dropped the hole. As the duo settled into play, Carlson regained a 2-up advantage after a pushed right approach by Luck on No. 8. With pin tucked right, Luck had to chip over a bunker and the pin to reach the green. With Carlson about seven feet, Luck's long lag putt and follow up miss gave Carlson the hole.
Aiming for the pin on the par-3 ninth, the pairing did not disappoint the crowd as they both were less than five feet from hole. After a Luck near birdie, Carlson had a chance to go 3-up but stopped inches short to stay 2-up at the turn.
Unlike Friday's quarterfinal, Carlson did not capitalize early on the backside, dropping the Nos. 10 and 11 after horseshoeing his putt on the 10th and watching his attempt on 11th miss and roll down the green. With the match all square, Carlson rebounded to retake the lead after a dagger off the tee on the par-3 13th to less than three feet. Converting the birdie, he was back up one with five holes to go.
The lead did not last long. After chipping in from the rough in the quarterfinal, Carlson looked to repeat that performance, but the stick was unkind as it just rolled by. After making his par, Luck did not give Carlson the putt, which rimmed out and drew the match all square.
Carlson used a strong approach to stick it tight on the 15th to put the pressure back on Luck. As Luck missed, Carlson birdied and went back up one with three holes left. Putting on a show for the crowd on the 16th, the duo halved the hole as they both stuck their wedges close and converted par.
Landing in the bunker on the 17th, Carlson looked to be in trouble, however, Luck pushed his tee shot right and had a tough chip to the pin. As Luck's chip landed, then rolled and rolled, Carlson used a textbook sand play to four feet. With a chance to close out the match, Carlson lipped out, and Luck had to convert to extend the match. Doing so the drama was set for the 18th hole.
With the match dormie, Carlson hit a tree off the tee. Needing to turn his club around to play left-handed, he punched it away from the trunk of the tree. With a tough lie, he pushed his approach right and was in trouble. Luck's approach landed in the greenside bunker, but he was able to land it softly and close to the hole. As Carlson's chip sailed by the hole he conceded the hole, evening the match sending it to extra holes -- the third time for Carlson this week.
Going to the 10th hole for the sudden-death playoff, Carlson had the first opportunity to close out the match after nearly draining his long lag putt. Needing to answer, Luck did with a strong five footer. Heading to the 11th, Carlson's second shot hit the green right, kicked and rolled down the hill towards the hole, stopping less than a foot away. Following that shot, Luck's second shot went left, kicked and mirrored Carlson's stopping three-and-a-half feet. With the pressure on, Luck again buried the putt, sending the match to a third extra hole.
After landing next to each other on the 12th fairway off the tee, Luck made the green, while Carlson dropped into the front bunker. After getting under his chip, Carlson landed a short and soft. As Luck's lag putt stopped within a foot, Carlson conceded the birdie. Needing to make his 25-footer to extend the match, Carlson had a good roll, but it was not be.
Despite the loss, Carlson earned two years of exemptions for the U.S. Amateur as well as an local qualifying exemption for next year's U.S. Open.
Day 5 Update (Friday, Aug. 19)
Nick Carlson
Quarterfinal: 3-and-1 win over No. 33 Dylan Meyer (Illinois)
Semifinal: No. 28 Curtis Luck (Australia), 8 a.m.
Following a 44-minute weather delay and trailing by two after nine holes, Nick Carlson made a dramatic comeback, winning six of the back-side eight holes needed at Oakland Hills Country Club to claim a 3-and-1 victory over No. 33 Dylan Meyer (Illinois) to advance to the U.S. Amateur semifinal. Carlson moves on to the final four and play No. 28 seed Curtis Luck (Australia), who won his match with a 2-up victory over No. 61 Sahith Theegala (Pepperdine).
With a huge Wolverine gallery following the opening pairing of the U.S. Amateur quarterfinal, it may have been nerves, but Carlson dropped the first two holes to quickly fall two-down. Opening flying the first green, he had to scramble for a bogey, while Meyer opened with a par. After the pairing both found the fairway bunkers, Carlson's approach again went long, while Meyer landed safely on. With Carlson missing his chip attemt, he two-putted, while Meyer made another par to quickly go up by two.
After halving the third hole, both players found the bunkers again on No. 4. This time, Meyer's approach was short, while Carlson flew his approach, landing softly on the center of the green. With a strong putt by Carlson leading to a gimmie, Meyer's chip and lengthy putt attempt went long, and the hole was conceded, cutting the lead in half.
Using a hybrid to hit short and roll onto the green, Meyer re-applied the pressure to Carlson on the fifth. Landing safely but left, Carlson two-putted, while Meyer birdied to win the hole and go back up two. As Carlson and Meyer settled into a back-and-forth battle, they halved the next four holes as Meyer carried a 2-up lead at the turn. Just before teeing off on No. 10, the course horned sounded with possible weather in the area.
After a 44-minute delay, Carlson came out and capitalized on some rare Meyer mistakes. On the 10th, Meyer found the bunker and could not recover as he dropped the opening back-nine hole to cut the lead in half. On the 11th, both had blind approaches. With Meyer's going long over the green, Carlson was spot on, dotting the green, putting the pressure on. A three-putt by Meyer squared the match as he did not make Carlson putt.
Finding the trees right on the 12th hole, Carlson used a nifty punch shot right to give himself a clean look at the pin. With Meyer short of green, he chipped within six feet, but Carlson's wedge was just as good. After Carlson drained his putt, Meyer missed, giving Carlson his first lead of the match.
After a disastrous tee shot on the par-3 13th, Carlson scrambled for a four, while Meyer hit the center of the green and made a bending birdie putt to square the match. Heading to No. 14, Meyer was safely on in two, while Carlson hit a low runner that landed short of the green but ran the entire length of the green, falling off the back side. Coming close all week, Carlson's chip hit the ridge and ran to the green, slowly rolling to the hole before falling in as the pro-Michigan crowd erupted, winning the hole.
Carlson bombed his next drive and stuck it close, while Meyer was on the green long left. Missing the putt, Meyer conceded the hole, putting Carlson up two with three holes remaining. Another strong drive by Carlson on 16, he again stuck close again. With Meyer in thick rough off the tee, his approach was long off the green. His long lag putt just came up shy of going in. With a chance to close out the comeback, Carlson's soft putt stopped an inch away as he tried to stare at it and will it in.
At the 17th and with the pin tucked left, both drives were on the green but way right. With a dangerous hidden ridge, Meyer rolled his putt up and over the ridge and watched it sail by to seven feet. Seeing the line, Carlson followed but nearly drained his attempt. With Meyer away, he missed the putt right and conceded the match, giving Carlson the 3-and-1 victory and semifinal berth.
Day 4 Update (Thursday, Aug. 18)
Nick Carlson
Round of 32: 19-hole win over No. 9 Scott Gregory (England)
Sweet 16: 19-hole win over No. 8 KK Limbhasut (Cal)
With a pair of 19-hole victories, Nick Carlson battled the heat, humidity and a pair of top 40 world ranked amateurs to advance to the U.S. Amateur Elite Eight at Oakland Hills Country Club.
Starting the morning facing No. 9 seed and British Amateur champion Scott Gregory (England), the pairing exchanged hole wins on Nos. 2 and 3, before Carlson got on a roll, winning three of the next four to go 3-up on the sixth-ranked amateur in the world.
Carlson took advantage of early Gregory missed chances, capping it off with a brilliant strategy on No. 7. Aiming right off the tee, Carlson dropped his tee shot on neighboring No. 2 fairway, giving him a straight shot into the green. He stuck his approach and drained a 12-foot putt to win the hole with a birdie.
Gregory rebounded starting on the back nine, winning the 11th on a nine-foot putt, while Carlson overshot the green and missed his chip. Gregory struck again on the 15th, taking the hole after a strong drive and tight approach. With a 1-up lead, Carlson had to win 18 to close out the match.
After using course strategy again, he drove his ball to the 10th fairway rough to get a clean look into a tucked pin on the 18th. Hitting his approach a little thin, he was 40 feet away. After Gregory made par, Carlson had an eight-foot par putt to win the match but just came up short.
On the first extra hole, Carlson blasted his drive down the fairway, while Gregory got into the trees, forcing him to punch out. With that, Carlson stuck his approach tight and made his birdie putt to advance to the Sweet 16.
After a short break, showering and changing, Carlson was back at it, facing No. 8 seed KK Limbhasut (Cal), the 43rd-ranked amateur in the world. Using the momentum from his earlier match, Carlson took advantage of Limbhasut missed putts and quickly went 3-up after the first four holes.
However, Limbhasut rebounded on the fifth. With an impossible downhill lie on the fairway bunker's rough, he punched his approach and watched it catch the front edge of the green and roll on. As Carlson went long right on his approach, he fell into deep rough and had to punch out, leaving the door open for Limbhasut.
After a pair of halved holes, Limbhasut squared the match after winning Nos. 8 and 9. Carlson found bunkers on the eighth and was in deep rough on the ninth as Limbhasut was steady and manufactured pars. Making the turn all square, Carlson took the par-4 11th to regain the lead.
Limbhasut won Nos. 12 and 13 to put Carlson down in a match for the first time all week, but Carlson squared the match on the 14th with a par. As the drama built, Limbhasut used a brilliant wedge into the 15th green to put the pressure back on Carlson, who was again in a bunker. Carlson failed to convert, and Limbhasut retook the lead with three to play.
Needing to win the 18th to extend the match, Carlson again tried to use the 10th fairway to give him a good look into the green. After Limbhasut's approach went way left, Carlson wasted no time and had a strong shot that landed on the green 40 feet away. A duffed chip by Limbhasut opened the door for Carlson, who lagged his putt went to seven feet. Limbhasut's follow-up chip nearly went in to win the match but rolled to eight feet down the ridge. Limbhasut missed his putt and conceded the hole as the match went all square and to extra holes.
In a repeat performance, Carlson blasted his extra-hole drive down the middle and then stuck it to four feet, putting all the pressure on Limbhasut. Limbhasut missed his 16-foot birdie putt, and Carlson drained the putt with ease to close out the match. Carlson advanced to the Elite Eight and will face Illinois' Dylan Meyer Friday (Aug. 19) at 1:30 p.m. for a chance at the Final Four.
Day 3 Update (Wednesday, Aug. 17)
Nick Carlson
Round of 64: 2-and-1 win over No. 24 Zach Foushee (Oregon)
With a full gallery of hometown supporters, Carlson crushed his opening tee shot off the famed South Course. With his adrenaline pumping, he flew the green on No. 1 but eventually made a long 20-footer putt to save par and halve the opening hole with Foushee.
Following with another bomb on No. 2, he dropped his approach to 12 feet, setting up for a possible eagle for the second time at the U.S. Amater. Draining the putt, the gallery erupted as he took an early 1-up lead. Despite missing the green on the par 3, third hole, Carlson chipped close enough to make par, while Foushee's chip and subsequent 15-foot par putt came up short as he conceded the hole, giving Carlson a 2-up lead.
Pushing his drive right on par 4, fifth, Carlson's approach out of the rough was hit thin, landing 35 yards short. With Foushee making the green in two, he was able to claim the hole and cut Carlson's lead in half, 1-up. After halving No. 6, Carlson found the water on the par 4, seventh. Despite having to drop and landing his approach to less than seven feet, Foushee took advantage again, making the green in two, and squared the match.
The pairing made dramatic shot after dramatic shot over the next four holes; Carlson struck first on the par 5, 12th. After another huge drive, he pushed his approach right, landing on No. 16 tee box. With a great lie, he used his wedge to put it less than four feet and converting a birdie, while Foushee two-putted for par, giving the lead back to Carlson, 1-up.
However, the lead did not last. Carlson landed his tee ball in the deep right rough on the par 3, 13th. Having to punch out, he gave himself a more than 30-foot par putt for par. After missing, he conceded the hole as Foushee's tee ball was within five feet.
Despite the setback, Carlson made up for it on the par 4, 14th. After another bruising drive, he went left of the green in the short rough, but so did Foushee. Carlson's chip was hit thin but landed short, while Foushee's hit the ridge of the green and fell down the front 15 feet away. After two-putting, Carlson had a chance to take the lead with an eight-footer, which he drained.
Carlson took advantage of a Foushee three-putt on the par 4, 16th, and he went up 2-up with three to play. Carlson put the pressure on with a beautiful chip, which stopped less than two feet on the par 4, 16th. Foushee refused to give in as he responded sinking a match-extending seven footer.
After another Carlson pushed tee shot on the par 3, 17th into a huge right side bunker, Foushee applied pressure of his own, landing on the green, but missed his birdie putt, giving a small opening to Carlson. With a blind sand shot, his ball landed, and he ran to watch it stop within three feet as the gallery erupted. The match ended as both players parred, giving Carlson a 2-and-1 victory.
Carlson moves on the Round of 32 tomorrow (Thursday, Aug. 18) and faces No. 9 seed Scott Gregory, who opened with a 7-and-5 win over No. 56 Raymond Knoll. The second round match starts at 8:10 a.m.
Day 2 Update (Tuesday, Aug. 16)
Nick Carlson (67-74/141, +1, advanced to match play) -- Day 1 South, Day 2 North
Heading the North Course for his U.S. Amateur second round, Carlson picked up right where he left off from his 67 (-3) yesterday, opening with three pars. Finding trouble on the par 3, fourth hole after missing right off the tee, he nearly sank his two chip attempts before settling for a bogey. He recovered quickly on the par 5, 629-yard fifth hole. Cutting his drive to the 11th fairway, he used the course to his advantage, making the No. 5 green in two and two-putting for birdie to even his round. Closing the front side, he found more trouble as he posted back-to-back bogeys after missing right off the tee on No. 8 and two-putting No. 9 as he posted back-to-back bogeys.
Making the turn, Carlson opened with a pair of pars before using back-to-back birdies on Nos. 12 and 13 to again bring him to even. The run was highlighted with an amazing chip, which curled and rolled in from the just off the green on the par 3, 13th. However, another missed fairway and a three-putt on Nos. 14 and 15 yielded two more bogeys as he was back to two over. After mud on his ball curved his approach to the 17th green, his chip went 15 feet past the pin. Another three-putt posted his first double bogey of the event, pushing him to four over heading into the final hole. Blasting his tee shot, his approach landed from about nine feet. With a pure putt, it rimmed out at the last second, forsaking a birdie as he posted a 74. Carlson closed with a 141 (+1) 36-hole stroke play tally, which help a U-M golfer advance to match play for the second straight year. He will face Oregon's Zach Foushee in the Round of 64 at 9:50 a.m.
Note: Carlson played the four combined par 5s at five under par - South: No. 2, 528-yard No. 2 (eagle) and No. 12, 561-yard (birdie) and North: No. 5, 629-yard (birdie) and No. 12, 509-yard (birdie).
Kyle Mueller (72-72/144, +4, missed cut) -- Day 1 South, Day 2 North
Beginning his day off the 10th tee of the North Couse, Mueller was ready for the challenge that lied ahead. After just coming up short on his par putt on the par 3, 13th, he posted a bogey. Rebounding with the first birdie of the day on the par 4, 14th, he drew even. Following six straight pars, a much-needed birdie on the par 4, third hole put him one under and kept him in the hunt for match play.
After strategically trying to cut the fairway on the par 5, fifth hole, Mueller's second shot landed in thick rough as he had to punch out and two putted for bogey. After missing the green on the par 3, sixth hole, his chip spun too much, giving him a lengthy par putt, which he just missed, giving him a second straight bogey.
After a par on the seventh, his second shot into the par 4, eighth hole went long into the rough. His follow-up chip left him another long par putt, which lipped out, leading to a third back-side bogey and putting him two shots out of advancing. After Mueller's tee shot on the ninth went right into a bunker, he needed to hole out to get into the playoff for match play. He was unable to covert as he closed with a second straight 72 and 144 two-day total.
Tom Swanson (76-74/150, +10, missed cut) -- Day 1 North, Day 2 South
After opening his second round bogeying his first hole of the South Course, Swanson erased it with a birdie on No. 4. With a bogey and four pars, he made the turn one over. A third bogey on No. 11 was erased with a birdie on the par 5, 12th hole as he used his length off the tee to set up the tally. Closing his final six holes with three additional bogeys, on the challenging "Monster" he posted a four-over 74 to finish with a 150 tally, missing the cutline for match play.
Day 1 Update (Monday, Aug. 15)
Nick Carlson (67, -3) -- Opening his first U.S. Amateur on the famed South Course at Oakland Hills, Carlson closed with a 67 (-3), keeping him near the top of the leaderboard all morning wave long. Opening with a birdie on his first hole (10th), he followed with birdies on Nos. 12 and 16 to reach three under through seven holes. He gave one back on the par 3 17th, pushing the putt. Making the turn, he used a 5-iron approach from 218 away to set himself up for eagle on the par 5 second hole. Draining the 10-footer, he found himself atop the leaderboard at four under. Six straight pars followed as he reached his final hole. After pushing his tee shot right on the par 3 ninth, his chip caught the curve of the green and rolled to a stop about four feet away. The par putt just lipped out as he posted his second bogey of the round and closed with a three-under 67. Carlson took advantage of the two par 5s, playing them three under, as he birdied No. 12 and eagled No. 2.
Kyle Mueller (72, +2) -- Opening on the front side of the famed South Course, Mueller's quick birdie on No. 2 put him in the red as his length took advantage on the first of two par 5s. However, missed fairways on Nos. 4 and 8 cost him as he scrambled, bogeying both to make the turn one over. He found more trouble to start the back nine, as a greenside bunker on No. 10 forced him to punch out, giving him a double bogey. By means of his length on the second par 5 of the day, he got a stroke back with a birdie on No. 12. However, it did not last long, as another greenside bunker led to another bogey on the par 3 13th as he moved to three over with five to go. Regrouping, his length set up pinpoint wedge shots as he posted back-to-back birdies on Nos, 15 and 16. Sitting a one over, he reached the challenging, uphill 240-yard par 3 17th hole, missing the green, and a subsequent par putt led to bogey. Closing with a strong recovery and draining a 10-foot par putt he closed with a 72.
Tom Swanson (76, +6) -- As the only Wolverine starting on the Oakland Hills North Course, Swanson opened is second U.S. Amateur with a bogey on the 10th hole. He quickly erased that with back-to-back birdies on Nos. 11 and 12. He ran into trouble on the 14th as a strong kick off a tree pushed his ball out of bounds, resulting in a triple bogey. He rallied with six pars and a birdie on No. 2, and he was one over with six to play. Missed putting opportunities to close the round had him post a 76.
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Wolverine Bios
• Kyle Mueller | Tom Swanson | Nick Carlson
2016 U.S. Amateur Championship
Oakland Hills Country Club
Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
Aug. 15-21, 2016
Schedule of Events
Monday, Aug. 15
7:45 a.m. -- Nick Carlson - South Course (67, -3)
8:05 a.m. -- Tom Swanson - North Course (76, +6)
9:40 a.m. -- Kyle Mueller - South Course (72, +2)
Tuesday, Aug. 16
1:00 p.m. -- Nick Carlson - North Course (74, +4 - advanced to match play)
1:20 p.m. -- Tom Swanson - South Course (74, +4, did not advance)
3:05 p.m. -- Kyle Mueller - North Course (72, +2, did not advance)
Wednesday, Aug. 17
Round of 64, No. 41 Nick Carlson defeats No. 24 Zach Foushee, 2-and-1
Thursday, Aug. 18
Round of 32, No. 41 Nick Carlson defeats No. 9 Scott Gregory, 19 holes
Sweet 16, No. 41 Nick Carlson defeats No. 8 KK Limbhasut, 19 holes
Friday, Aug. 19
Quarterfinal, No. 41 Nick Carlson defeats No. 33 Dylan Meyer, 3-and-1
Saturday, Aug. 20
Semifinal, No. 41 Nick Carlson loses to No. 28 Curtis Luck, 21 holes
How They Got to the 2016 U.S. Amateur
• Kyle Mueller: By virtue of qualifying for the 2016 U.S. Open, Mueller was awarded an exemption into the U.S. Amateur, marking his second straight trip to the amateur national championship.
• Nick Carlson (July 5): Using rounds of 72 and 69, Carlson tallied a 141 total at Egypt Valley Country Club in Ada, Michigan, to share medalist honors with Jack Singh Brar and earn his first U.S. Amateur trip.
• Tom Swanson (July 25): Using rounds of 65 and 69, Swanson posted a 134 total at the Ranch Club in Missoula, Montana, to win medalist honors by three shots and earn his second U.S. Amateur trip.
Michigan at the Last Two U.S. Amateurs
The 2015 U.S. Amateur: Michigan had two players -- Kyle Mueller and Reed Hrynewich -- qualify and compete at the 2015 U.S. Amateur played at Olympia Field Country Club in Olympia Fields, Illinois. Hrynewich used stroke-play rounds of 68 and 74 to tie for 36th (142), earning the 54th seed in match play. Mueller went 73, 70 for a 142 and tied for 55th, needing a playoff to earn a spot in match play. After four holes, he advanced as the 64th seed. Opening match play, Mueller upset No. 1 seed and stroke-play medalist Brett Coletta (Australia), 1-up, to move on while Hrynewich fell, 3-and-2, to 11th seed Adam Ball. Mueller advanced to the Sweet 16 after a win over No. 33 Alex Burge (2-up), before his run ended with a 2-up loss to No. 17 seed and eventual semifinalist Kenta Konishi (Japan).
The 2014 U.S. Amateur: Tom Swanson competed in the 2014 U.S. Amateur played at the Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Georgia. After rounds of 73 and 76, Swanson's 149 did not advance him to match play as he was four shots out of qualifying.
