Sunnehanna kicks off US Amateur season

BY Anthony Powter | US Mens Amateur Tour | 2009 Sunnehanna Amateur | Preview | 10 Jun 2009

The Sunnehanna Amateur is considered the season opener in the US for their main amateur tournaments and the championship gets into full swing in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, starting this Thursday.

Defending champion and dual winner, Rickie Fowler, makes his return after qualifying last week in Tennessee for one of 13 spots available for the US Open Championship, which starts June 18 at Bethpage Black in New York.

It is the second year in succession the world number 1 amateur has qualified for the US Open and making it through the sectional qualifiers sees the 20-year-old’s game and confidence riding high heading into Sunnehanna Amateur this week.

“I’m feeling good about my game right now,” said Fowler, the 2007-8 Champion at Sunnehanna.

“I’ve had some great success here with this tournament and having just qualified for the US Open, I feel good about the next few weeks of golf with starts at the Sunnehanna, US Open, and then the Travellers Championship [PGA Tour] the week after the Open.”

With preparation already in full flight for the main US amateur season, Fowler’s goals this summer reflect a balance between winning the US Amateur Championship, selection in the USA Walker Cup team and playing in more PGA Tour events.

At the World Amateur Championships last October in Adelaide, Fowler secured the lowest individual score for the Championship, finishing at 10-under-par across arguably two of Australia’s hardest layouts, the West Course at The Grange and Royal Adelaide.

He then returned to Australia a few months later in January this year to be again in the thick of the action at the NEC Master of the Amateurs at Yarra Yarra Golf Club in Victoria. The Oklahoma State sophomore was commanding around the tight Yarra Yarra layout, only to be piped at the post for the tournament title in the three-hole sudden death play-off against fellow American, Mark Anderson.

Anderson also is playing this week in Pennsylvania and like the majority of the field, is keen to get his US season off to a good start.

“Sunnehanna, I think it is one of the best tournaments in the world,” remarks Anderson, who last year at The Player’s Amateur fired a closing 10-under-par, 60, to deny Australia’s Matt Jager of that title.

“The field is extremely strong every year. It is really the first big amateur tournament for all the players, so everyone comes into it in good form and looking to win and get off to a good start.”

According Anderson the course at Sunnehanna Country Club is unique and offers it’s own subtle challenges to the player.

“The golf course is a great old classic course that most players don’t play every day,” says Anderson.

“To me that is what is so special about it. It challenges you from tee to green, not necessarily with length like most modern courses, but rather with your shot making ability and your touch around the greens.”

Australians have experienced previous success at Sunnehanna. Michael Sim, who’s currently on two wins this season on the Nationwide Tour and on the verge of returning to the PGA Tour, claimed the title there in 2005.

A review of past champions and competitors reveals the “who’s who” of modern day golf that have competed at Sunnehanna. Tiger Woods, Scott Verplank, John Cook, Brad Faxon and Justin Leonard have all participated in the stroke event.

Four Australians will start in the field this week. Ray Beaufils, Jin Jeong who finished in a tie for 4th position there last year, US Collegiate based golfer Mitch Krywulycz and current New South Wales Amateur Champion, Michael Smyth are all playing.

The Americans are currently striving for team selection for the Walker Cup to be played at Merion Golf Club later in the year, the hotly contested biennial trophy between the US and a team from UK and Ireland in a format used to the professional equivalent Ryder Cup.

The major amateur championships in the US this season are taking on another perspective with their top amateurs eyeing off selection in the 10 man squad.

“That’s the goal to make the Walker Cup team,” says Fowler.

With his recent stellar form and history at Sunnehanna, Fowler is the player to watch this week as he goes after his third title in as many starts.

“Hopefully I can get the season off to a good start and I’m really looking forward to the next month of golf here,” he says.

“I’m pretty pumped about the next few weeks and that should flow onto my game this week at Sunnehanna.”