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| The USA's Morgan Hoffmann, tracking a shot Saturday, enjoyed being paired with Brian Harman because both players like playing fast. (John Mummert/USGA) |
By Ken Klavon, USGA
Ardmore, Pa. – The allure to the golf aficionado is that Merion Golf Club is an affirmation of the historical context of the sport in the United States. The validation is embodied mainly by Bob Jones, Ben Hogan and Lee Trevino in that history helped put the East Course on the map with singular moments in past championships.
It borders on an overstatement to say that the USA’s Brian Harman could be placed in such an echelon, but his closing putt in Saturday’s second foursomes in the 42nd Walker Cup Match will forever bolster his identity.
“This is what I live for, right there,” said Harman after draining an 8-foot par putt on the par-17th hole to give the USA squad a 2-and-1 victory over Great Britain and Ireland.
Harman, paired with the 20-year-old Morgan Hoffmann, took on GB&I’s Sam Hutsby, 20, and 24-year-old Wallace Booth. The victory pushed Harman’s career record in Walker Cups to 3-0-1. The 2003 U.S. Junior Amateur champion also played on the 2005 team.
Coming into the competition, USA captain George “Buddy” Marucci leaned on Harman and Rickie Fowler to provide leadership. Both followed suit in their respective matches, with Fowler and Bud Cauley pulverizing Luke Goddard and Dale Whitnell, 6 and 5, for another USA point. The USA entered the afternoon with a 3-1 advantage. “We just wanted to start our team with a little boost of confidence,” said Fowler after his pair finished first.
On a cool, drizzly and drab morning, the weather resembled something closer to what would be experienced at St. Andrews, site of eight Walker Cup Matches. The smell of autumn permeated the crisp air. And with more than 3 inches of rain saturating the course over the past couple days, proper wisdom would suggest softer conditions.
Wallace suggested otherwise to GB&I Captain Colin Dalgleish as he described how an uphill 12-foot putt on the third hole picked up speed as it neared the hole before speeding 5 feet past. Harman and Hoffman concurred afterward, suggesting some spots were akin to hitting off cement.
The USA squad never led by more than two holes, while GB&I never held the lead at any point.
“We made it a lot more difficult than we should have,” said Hoffmann. That’s because the Americans three-putted two holes that would have given them wins.
The USA pushed it 2 up on the 10th hole thanks to a savvy risk-reward decision by Hoffmann. With the teeing ground elevated between sentinel poplar trees, the left-handed Harman took an aggressive line toward the fairway, which if the drive is off, trouble looms nearby in the rough. After Harman drove it perfectly, Hoffmann was rewarded with a short approach on the 303-yard hole and stuck it to 3 feet. Harman converted for birdie.
On the 14th, a 438-yard par 4, GB&I gained a hole when Hutsby watched as his approach stopped, almost improbably,8 feet right of the flagstick on the deceptively undulating green. While Harman and Hoffmann were busy three-putting from 24 feet, Booth, a former Augusta State University (Augusta, Ga.) player, had a solid read on his 8-footer to save par.
Any pressure the Americans felt at that point was brief. On the next hole, they pushed their margin back to 2 up with a par. Hutsby’s 3-footer burned the edge of the hole. He dropped his head inn disappointment as players and caddies departed for the 16th teeing ground.
“For them to miss that shot,” said Harman, “that was big.”
“They definitely had momentum,” said Hoffmann.
The GB&I players weren’t available for comment.
The two teams halved No. 16, leading to Harman’s heroics to end the match on the course’s most difficult par 3 that also features a false front. Booth had a chance to force an 18th hole, but his 15-foot birdie try broke early and lipped the hole. Up stepped Harman, staring over a tricky putt on the contoured green.
The ball crawled toward its destination, inviting more intensity with each rotation, until it disappeared. An emotional Harman took his hat off and Hoffmann, Marucci and Brendan Gielow engulfed him.
“That’s why I wanted to wait to turn pro,” said Harman, turning back toward the green afterward. “Right there.”
It’s yet another memorable moment on a course that has a accumulated its share through the years.
Ken Klavon is the USGA’s Editor of Digital Media. E-mail him with questions and comments at kklavon@usga.org.
