Photo by: Lexi Hartmann
McDermott Falls In First Round of U.S. Amateur
August 14, 2024 | Men's Golf
World's Top Amateur Wins 4 & 3
CHASKA, Minn. — The University of Colorado's Dylan McDermott unfortunately drew the hottest amateur golfer in the world, Luke Clanton, for his first round of match play in the 124th annual U.S. Amateur. And he continued to play like it in walking away with a 4 & 3 victory of the Buffalo senior.
McDermott, seeded 44th and the 111h-ranked amateur in the updated WAGR (World Amateur Golf Rankings) that were issued Wednesday morning, took on the Florida State junior who rose to the top of rankings, who was seeded 21st. Clanton has been on a tear all summer, which has included three top 10 finishes in PGA Tour events, topped with a runner-up effort in the John Deere Classic and a fifth place showing just last weekend in the Wyndham Classic.
The match did start out even for the first three holes on the 7,548-yard, par-72 Hazeltine National Golf Club course, as both players made par on Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Clanton took the le on the par-3 4th hole when McDermott bogeyed, and he remained 1-up through five after both made par on No. 5, McDermott sinking a 25-foot putt for his par. Clanton then went 2-up when he birdied No. 6.
Hoping to close the gap on the 581-yard, par-5 7th, McDermott had some bad luck when his approach shot landed in the water and wound up making a bogey while Clanton parred. Both birdied the short 153-yard, par-3 8th hole and then the par-4 9th.
Clanton pulled away with birdies on No. 10 and No. 13, going 5-up with five to play. McDermott won his only hole when he made par on the 308-yard, par-4 14th; when both bogeyed the 656-yard, par-5 15th, the match was called.
"I thought I played pretty solid, but I was going up against a buzz saw," McDermott said. "He was 5-under through 13, which was pretty amazing on a course this tough. He was making good shots and making good putts. I couldn't see hardly anyone else doing that.
"I was hanging with him for a while, but things started to fall apart on 7," he continued. "I hit my approach exactly like I wanted to – it bounced once on the green and then back into the water. I really thought I hit the perfect shot, and I will never know why it bounced like it did. From there, it was hard to catch up."
McDermott did make some history here, as he was the first Buffalo to make it into the match play portion twice. He also made it out of stroke play last summer, but lost in the first round 1-up to Auburn's Jackson Koivun, who has since risen to the third-ranked amateur in the sport … talk about having to face the best in the world right from the get-go. He didn't feel snake bit considering who had to face in the first round of match play the last two years.
"You know, it happens, there's nothing you can do about it, so I chose to embrace it."
Clanton and McDermott actually had a sizeable crowd following them all round, estimated at as many as 80 people, a first for the Buffalo senior. 'It was a neat experience," McDermont said. "I never really had that before."
NOTES: In the end, Clanton won five holes, McDermott one and they tied nine … The last Buffalo to make it past the first round of match play was current senior Justin Biwer, falling in the third round in 2022; David Oraee also made it into the Round of 16 in 2015. Matt Potter also fell in the third round in 1987, as did the late Dale Douglass in 1959; those are the four who made it the furthest … McDermott made it out of stroke play with a 1-under par 67-74—141 scorecard; in six U.S. Amateur rounds, he has averaged 72.3 strokes per … McDermott had joined Tolan, Steve Irwin and Scott Petersen as three-time Buffalo participants in the event, which numbers 54 all-time from the school … Classes start at the university on Monday, Aug. 26, with the Buffaloes set to open the 2024-25 season in Washington State's Palouse Collegiate in Pullman, scheduled for Sept. 10-11.
McDermott, seeded 44th and the 111h-ranked amateur in the updated WAGR (World Amateur Golf Rankings) that were issued Wednesday morning, took on the Florida State junior who rose to the top of rankings, who was seeded 21st. Clanton has been on a tear all summer, which has included three top 10 finishes in PGA Tour events, topped with a runner-up effort in the John Deere Classic and a fifth place showing just last weekend in the Wyndham Classic.
The match did start out even for the first three holes on the 7,548-yard, par-72 Hazeltine National Golf Club course, as both players made par on Nos. 1, 2 and 3. Clanton took the le on the par-3 4th hole when McDermott bogeyed, and he remained 1-up through five after both made par on No. 5, McDermott sinking a 25-foot putt for his par. Clanton then went 2-up when he birdied No. 6.
Hoping to close the gap on the 581-yard, par-5 7th, McDermott had some bad luck when his approach shot landed in the water and wound up making a bogey while Clanton parred. Both birdied the short 153-yard, par-3 8th hole and then the par-4 9th.
Clanton pulled away with birdies on No. 10 and No. 13, going 5-up with five to play. McDermott won his only hole when he made par on the 308-yard, par-4 14th; when both bogeyed the 656-yard, par-5 15th, the match was called.
"I thought I played pretty solid, but I was going up against a buzz saw," McDermott said. "He was 5-under through 13, which was pretty amazing on a course this tough. He was making good shots and making good putts. I couldn't see hardly anyone else doing that.
"I was hanging with him for a while, but things started to fall apart on 7," he continued. "I hit my approach exactly like I wanted to – it bounced once on the green and then back into the water. I really thought I hit the perfect shot, and I will never know why it bounced like it did. From there, it was hard to catch up."
McDermott did make some history here, as he was the first Buffalo to make it into the match play portion twice. He also made it out of stroke play last summer, but lost in the first round 1-up to Auburn's Jackson Koivun, who has since risen to the third-ranked amateur in the sport … talk about having to face the best in the world right from the get-go. He didn't feel snake bit considering who had to face in the first round of match play the last two years.
"You know, it happens, there's nothing you can do about it, so I chose to embrace it."
Clanton and McDermott actually had a sizeable crowd following them all round, estimated at as many as 80 people, a first for the Buffalo senior. 'It was a neat experience," McDermont said. "I never really had that before."
NOTES: In the end, Clanton won five holes, McDermott one and they tied nine … The last Buffalo to make it past the first round of match play was current senior Justin Biwer, falling in the third round in 2022; David Oraee also made it into the Round of 16 in 2015. Matt Potter also fell in the third round in 1987, as did the late Dale Douglass in 1959; those are the four who made it the furthest … McDermott made it out of stroke play with a 1-under par 67-74—141 scorecard; in six U.S. Amateur rounds, he has averaged 72.3 strokes per … McDermott had joined Tolan, Steve Irwin and Scott Petersen as three-time Buffalo participants in the event, which numbers 54 all-time from the school … Classes start at the university on Monday, Aug. 26, with the Buffaloes set to open the 2024-25 season in Washington State's Palouse Collegiate in Pullman, scheduled for Sept. 10-11.
Players Mentioned
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