Players Amateur: Low Scoring Guaranteed
IN: News | US Mens Amateur | Players Amateur (2008) | Preview | by Anthony Powter | 10 Jul 2008
The Players Amateur starts tomorrow at the Belfair Golf Club in South Carolina with the prediction of low scoring due to a change of course. The East Course at Belfair Golf Club has been brought into play for the second time in the tournament’s nine year history, while its regular home and the more difficult West Course undertakes a full reconstruction.
Tournament organisers have attempted to toughen the East Course to provide a more sterner challenge for the stellar international field that is assembled for the tournament.
The new director of golf course maintenance Eric Greytok, the head superintendent during the Pebble Beach Golf Links for the 2000 US Open and at Winged Foot Golf Club for the 2006 US Open, has made a number of adjustments to the East Course layout. The biggest change is at the seventh hole, which will be shortened from a 563-yard par 5 to a 480-yard par 4, the course playing as a par-70 from about 6,850 yards. The rough has also been brought in on a number of the shorter par-4’s in an attempt to tighten the fairways.
The Aussies who have had the opportunity to play the East Course this week, feel it’s receptive to low scoring.
“The front side nine are tougher but there are some birdie opportunities on the back and the course is in great shape,” remarked Tim Stewart, who finished 8th in last year’s tournament.
Matt Griffin winner of last week’s Rice Planters Amateur, with a tournament equalling record 17-under-par, also sees plenty of opportunities to score low this week.
“The East Course has bent greens which are rolling well,” said Griffin.
“I would expect scoring to be very low as conditions are perfect with reasonable rough but wide fairways and large greens. Again it will be a putting contest and I think 15-20 under-par would win.”
Michael Foster, runner-up at the 2008 Australian Amateur, sees the finishing stretch of holes on the East Course will be where the tournament will be won.
“It’s a good finishing stretch with holes that you can drive aggressively on to create birdie chances,” says Foster. “The greens are firming up and rolling well, so it will play fair and provide players with plenty of opportunity to attack. If you are putting well, you will score low with the way the ball rolling on these greens.”
The last time the East Course was used for this event, Jonathan Moore finished 22-under-par in 2006. After 139 rounds carded in the 60s during the 2006 tournament, the decision by tournament officials to reduce this year’s par from 71 to 70 appears justifiable.
Despite the tournament’s short life of nine years, the Players Amateur enjoys a world tournament ranking of 13th and is considered by many players as a prized event. Previous winners include British Open Champion, Ben Curtis, Bill Haas and Camilo Villegas, all now PGA Tour players.
The 87 player field for this year’s event boasts five of the world’s top 10 amateur golfers and 18 of the top 50 players, however, defending champion Rickie Fowler and runner-up Michael Thompson are not included. Thompson indicated his non-commitment to amateur events for the rest of the season following the Palmer Cup last month and is planning to turn professional, whilst Fowler has elected to miss the tournament for family reasons.
The top-ranked player in the field at 4th is New Zealand’s Danny Lee, who is one spot ahead of American Kyle Stanley. Stanley has finished third the past two years at the Players Amateur. Matthew Griffin (No. 7) and University of Southern California star Rory Hie (No. 9) round out the top-10 players in the field.
Rohan Blizard finished the top Australian performer last year in 4th place. Blizard qualified for the British Open earlier in the week and remains in the UK, not re-joining the US based Aussies until the Porter Cup later this month.
Scott Arnold, who missed qualifying for the British Open by a stroke, will commence his US amateur schedule this week after two months in the UK. Other notable Australians competing this week include Ray Beaufils, Josh Younger, Jason Scrivener, Matt Jager, Daniel Beckmann, Mitch Krywulycz, Brett Rankin and Justin Roach.
