Tide's Mark Harrell in 2nd at U.S. Amateur
8/21/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
TUSCALOOSA ?? Mark Harrell had to wait most of the afternoon to begin play in the 106th United States Amateur as the tee time he was assigned was in the third to last group.
But the University of Alabama golfer proved it was worth the wait. Harrell shot 66 in the opening round of stroke play qualifying and is tied at second place at five under par. Only one golfer among the field shot better than Harrell, who is tied with Eddie Olson of Aptos, Calif. Billy Horschel of Grant, Fla., fired a United States Golf Association-championship record 60 on the Chaska, Minn., Town Course to take a six shot lead. Horschel is an All-American golfer at Florida.
Harrell is making his second straight U.S. Amateur appearance. He did not advance to stroke play last year, a result he’s hoping will change this time around.
“I wouldn’t say this is necessarily a dream come true, but I do feel like it is a great accomplishment,” said Harrell. “Of course, I still have to come out tomorrow and follow up. I am looking forward to going out tomorrow and hopefully playing well. I don’t know that I did anything special today. I just somehow found a way to get it in the hole. And I had 22 putts so that helped.”
Harrell will play the course at Hazeltine National Golf Club on Tuesday in the second round.
Based on the scores today, it seems to be playing a little more difficult because where you saw a lot of scores in the 60’s on the Chaska course where I played today, I don’t think anyone shot under 70 at Hazeltine.”
In fact, only one player did, Dustin Johnson who is in fourth place at four under par shot 68 at Hazeltine. The next lowest score was a 71.
Harrell’s five-under-par round included six birdies, 11 pars and one bogey.
He is one of four current Crimson Tide golfers in Chaska, Minn., competing in the U.S. Amateur. Thomas Hagler, a Ringgold, Ga., native is in a tie at 19th place. He shot even par, 71, on the Chaska course. Matthew Swan of Montgomery is among a tie at 154th. He played Hazeltine and shot 77, five over par. And Michael Thompson played Hazeltine as well and shot 85. He’s in 296th place at 13 over par.
Their Alabama coach, Jay Seawell is in Chaska following their play and was proud of his golfers’ opening rounds.
“It was great seeing all those Alabama bags out there,” said Seawell who had four Tide golfers make the 2005 U.S. Amateur field as well. “For Mark, to go out and shoot 66 in first round of U.S. Amateur is really a big deal. “It takes a lot of pressure off. It doesn’t by any means mean he’s in the clear because he still has to go out tomorrow and play well, but it certainly helps. Getting into match play is a hurdle Mark wants to overcome and the 66 will certainly help.
“I watched Michael and Matthew play the Hazeltine course, and that is a man-sized course. They’re playing the 2009 U.S. Open there and I bet you won’t see too many under par rounds even then. It will challenge you. Michael didn’t get off to a good start, but he overcame it and I think he can go out tomorrow on Chaska and can shoot a low round. Matthew played well overall but he just didn’t finish well. He bogeyed 16 and double bogeyed 17. But he’s in the mix at Hazeltine. There are not more than five under 74 there. So his 77 is not as bad a shape as it looks on a leader board because all those guys who played at Chaska today play at Hazeltine tomorrow. I think it’s about six shots harder.”
