Aussie trio aim for US Amateur glory
BY Anthony Powter | US Mens Amateur Tour | 2009 US Amateur Championship | Preview | 11 Aug 2009
Matt Giles, Jason Scrivener and Tarquin MacManus are attempting this week to qualify for the US Amateur Championship and compete alongside 309 other hopefuls later in the month at Southern Hills Country Club and Cedar Ridge Country Club in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Giles and MacManus will play their 36-hole sectional qualification in a field of 60 participants at Tucson in Arizona, with only two qualification spots made available by the USGA, whilst Scrivener is in Connecticut for his qualification round at Wampanoag Country Club.
With limited qualification spots for the main draw proper, the challenge of just making the US Amateur field is itself a massive task for the Australians.
American-based Giles fully appreciates the enormity of the task in making the field in one of the world’s most prestigious amateur championships.
“You know you have to fire low numbers and be in double digits to have any chance,” says Giles, who is seeking to play his second US Amateur in succession.
“It’s a strong field here in Arizona as all the guys from Arizona State have entered. I’ve structured my season around trying to peak for this event and it becomes your main focus for the season.”
Giles narrowly finished outside the the top-64 in last year’s US Amateur at Pinehurst Club, missing in a play-off to progress to the match-play format. The sophomore at University of South California was also the only Australian to qualify after taking medalist honours at Muskegon Country Club in Michigan.
“My form is strong going into this sectional qualifier,” remarks Giles.
“Playing in the Nationwide Tour event in Columbus a few weeks back was the prefect preparation for me and I’ve plenty of confidence going into this week.”
Whilst Giles missed the cut at the Children’s Hospital Invitational by one, overall he feels his game is on the improve.
“This is the one you go after. There’s nothing bigger than the US Amateur in my mind and I’m looking forward to the challenge.”
MacManus agrees with Giles as to the difficulty in making the field proper for the championship.
“You try not to focus too much on your score,” says MacManus, who is attempting to qualify for his first US Amateur.
“I know the course well having been based at Arizona State. It’s wide so you can be aggressive with your driver, but realistically to have any chance to make the two spots you need to be at your best.”
This season, MacManus has displayed impressive form in the top US amateur events. Last week at The Western Amateur in Chicago he narrowly missed the cut by a stroke to finish the best of the Australians. Earlier in the season the Queenslander secured two top-10 finishes with a tied 3rd at the Southern Amateur and a tied 7th at the Pacific Coast Amateur.
“I’m hitting the ball solid,” says MacManus.
“You have to take advantage of the par 5’s and then be selective with the shorter par 4’s. I don’t like to predict what you need to score, the field here is strong and you know there will be low numbers had out there.”
Scrivener was also quietly optimistic with his chances of qualification. If there is a player that can record low numbers when the pressure is on, Scrivener can produce the results.
“This summer in the US has been a little patchy for me,” says Scrivener.
“You go into these qualification rounds not knowing what to expect other than that you have to shoot low. My game is there so you just have to focus on each hole at a time and see what eventuates.”
The US Amateur Championship commences August 24 with 36 holes of stroke play before the field is cut to the low 64 players for match play. Match play begins on Wednesday 26th and continues until the 36 hole two man final on Sunday.
