British Am

[Bill Shamleffer]

The RandA website is posting short (3+ mins) videos each night giving a summary of each day's play in the British Am this week at Hillside.  There are a few shots of the course during each of these videos for those wanting to get a few looks at this course.

They are also giving audio and tweet updates of the final match currently underway today.


On a side note - why could not the USGA pair the two leading ams (of the three that made the cut) in the 3rd and 4th rounds this weekend.  I understand there are procedures on how players are paired after the cut.  However, why not also have an additional procedure that the if at least 2 ams make the cut, that each day the 2 leading ams are paired together.  Neither am is going to win this tournament, but winning the title as low-am in a major is a VERY big deal.

When I caddied in the late 1970s and early 1980s, there was a member at our club who was a 2 time Walker Cupper in the 1950s (James Jackson).  He never won a USGA championship, but he did win the Trans-Miss twice and was once low-am in the US Open.  Being low-am in a US Open was one of items always mentioned in his bios and in his obits.  He had a USGA medal (the silver medal for low-am).  The USGA should pair two leading ams and let them really play each other for that low-am title.  Furthermore, this kind of head-to-head competition has to help a little if either one (or both) of these ams later play in a Walker Cup.

[Mike Benham]

Are you proposing that the Am two-some play match play in the 3rd and 4th round?

[Niall C]

Bill

I think what you are suggesting is almost a comp within a comp. Imagine if young Rory was still an amateur, would you have him playing at the back of the field with the other amateur or would you move the other amateur to last off with Rory ?

If I was one of those amateurs I would want to play in my true position and would love to be mixing it and measuring my game against the pro's, and I believe thats what the punters want to see as well. I recall Monessaro playing with Watson and Garcia at Turnberry in the Open, great to see and undoubtedly a great experience for the Italian (did I spell his name right ?)

Niall

[Tom_Doak]

Bill:

I like your idea for the leading amateurs in the Open, but only in the fourth round, and only if neither of the two players are in the last few groups.  I agree with Niall, that it would be more important to them to play with the big boys if they are at all in contention for the trophy.  However, Niall, most of the pairings you described are the first- and second-round pairings, where the Amateur champion always gets paired with a past Open champion or even the reigning champion.

[Mark Chaplin]

First Aussie winner since 1954.

[Joel_Stewart]

Sadly the best Amateur player in the world is playing the US Open this week.

[David_Tepper]

"Sadly the best Amateur player in the world is playing the US Open this week."

Joel -

What is there to be sad about?

DT

[Neil_Crafter]

First Aussie winner since 1954.

:-))

[Mark Chaplin]

You can only beat the players who enter & from my reckoning there were competitors from 28 countries other than the home nations so a pretty strong field.