Redman Wins U.S. Amateur For The Ages

I've put out feelers with those who would know better and have asked: where did the 2017 U.S. Amateur final rank with the great ones they recall. I'll get back to you on that but in the meantime, as far as events I've been lucky enough to cover, Doc Redman's win over Doug Ghim at Riviera will rank with any golf display I've seen.

Yes, it was the dreaded nobody-should-lose situations, as any 37 hole Amateur final would be appropriately labeled. No player was ever more than two up, and while there were a few loose shots, the quality of shotmaking and course management over a long, intense day was astounding.

The two closed morning play with a 31 (Redman) and 32 (Ghim), making them nine-under on the back nine before the lunch break.

But it's this that'll be talked about across the golfing landscape for sometime: 

Doc Redman needed to win hole No. 35 to keep the match going. So he made eagle. To No. 36 we go. #USAmateur https://t.co/vNk8PXKxqR

— USGA (@USGA) August 20, 2017

The most remarkable part? No one following the match all day was shocked by the eagle make to keep Redman alive and one down with one to go. I've never seen anyone make that many feet of putts at Riviera.

Oh, and the Western Amateur runner-up had never seen the course until this week and it was his first foray on kikuyu. Take that, local knowledge!

For now, just enjoy the game stories and coverage. (Sadly I see no replays on the Fox schedule for this instant classic.)

Ron Driscoll's game story at USGA.org covers all the nuts and bolts from an epic day.

GolfChannel.com's Ryan Lavner writes of Redman:

Little was known about the 19-year-old from Raleigh, N.C., until the recent Western Amateur, where he steamrolled the best field in amateur golf en route to the finals. In the championship match against Norman Xiong, Redman fell 4 down at the turn, but he chipped away at his deficit, lipped out a putt to win on the 18th hole and ended up taking Xiong to 22 holes before eventually falling.

“A lot less dramatic,” he said with a wry smile.

Golfweek's Brentley Romine tells us about Redman's background and recent golf spurt that has him now on the Walker Cup team.

For as good as Redman is in golf, he’s equally as brilliant, showing in interest in the stock market and securing a math internship at Clemson. Clemson assistant Jordan Byrd said after Redman came to him after his first semester and asked how he could get into the Honors College.

“No one’s ever asked that before,” Byrd said.

Tom Hoffarth in the LA Daily News with this on Ghim, who played beautifully:

Ghim said the fact neither could get apart from the other all morning and afternoon was “testament to how good we played. For most of the day we stepped up and executed. Whenever someone got in the lead we knew it was probably going to last for awhile unless we could pull off an incredible shot. Both guys were just waiting for a moment to maybe try to take a chance, but no one really wanted to because it was so risky.

“It was like a chess match … It was like a blinking contest. Who’s going to blink first?”

Mike James on how close the match was, filing this for the LA Times with a quote from UT's Ghim:

Four times in the first 18 holes, the players tied each other with birdies, including on the difficult 18th.

“I felt like every time we won a hole it was so significant because we weren't giving each other anything; nothing was easy,” said Ghim, 21, a senior at Texas. “Every hole that we won was super hard earned…. It was like do or die every time you had a chance.”

Their matching up-and-downs at the par-3 sixth:

37 holes ⛳️
2 competitors 🏌️
1 #USAmateur 🏆 pic.twitter.com/xxmAQf0GbW

— USGA (@USGA) August 21, 2017

And Redman's last hole birdie to send the match to sudden death.

Doc Redman needed to win hole No. 35 to keep the match going. So he made eagle. To No. 36 we go. #USAmateur https://t.co/vNk8PXKxqR

— USGA (@USGA) August 20, 2017

Other fun stuff from the USGA, starting with the early morning highlights.

And the later day highlight reel that won't disappoint.

The full final round photo gallery includes some beauties from Chris Keane in a really nice gallery format.

Comments

[OWGR Fan]

12 consecutive 1 putts by Redman in the first 18 holes. #freakingridiculous

What a fantastic match. Congrats to both players. Well done.

[Ivan Morris]

It's terrific to see so much coverage of amateur golf here. Thank you. That USA team looks far too good for GB&I this time. 5-Californians will be a big advantage playing in LA.

[Matt]

These 2 guys scored brilliantly but watching them in person, I can't see either doing anything in the pros. Ghim does a more severe version of a Nick Watney-like dip, the club sometimes comes too much from the outside and it creates a big pull hook. Redman is the opposite, his swing's like a quicker, buggy snap whip version of Brandt Snedeker. He hits huge fades with irons, but sometimes they balloon right. These guys putted the eyes out of it, that saved them.

[Bill Wilson]

Over 19 hours of televised coverage/streaming from Fox Sports and USGA.org, well done!

[USAM]

Tremendous match. More fun and interesting to watch than anything I've seen in some time. Lot of guts out of these two players with a never say die attitude.

Good coverage overall I thought as well.

Hopefully the Walker Cup at LACC turns out to be just as fun to watch.

[midtown East]

Best match I've ever seen.
Woods/Scott match has to be the only better in the last 30 years, right?

[The O]

Both played great. Hats off to both of them. Often the finals can be a bit dull as the guys run out of gas after a long week. But, that was epic.

One nit: Fox wasn't really broadcasting it live, and had edited it, but still ran long. The replay at 3:00AM on FS1 was edited to fit in the window. Broadcasting live-ish match play is tough, since you don't know if might end 9&8 and leave you with 90 minutes of dead air, but I thought they might have a bigger margin.

[Tremendous Slouch]

Hip Hop fans rejoice, Doc Redman will be teeing it up with Sergio at the 2018 Masters.

[lightintheloafers]

What, a whole week on site with Fox and no pics of Shackie with his face buried in Holly's fun bags?
Oh, that's right, sorry.

[FC]

" I've never seen anyone make that many feet of putts at Riviera."

Zalatoris should be considered.

[Convert]

Good tournament, Solheim had its moments, but for me the most compelling action was watching the guys on the bubble at Greensboro. Flores making a hole in one to get in the top 125, JJ Henry birdie on 18 gets him in and knocks Blair out by 1 point. Varner, Ogilvy in Wagner, Saunders, McDowell out. Great intense stuff....

[PG]

http://www.mydigitalpublication.com/publication/?i=284215&p=8#{%22page%22:28,%22issue_id%22:%22432703%22}

[FC]

For me, the US AM ruled. A distant second was Stenson's crunch-time hammering. His Callaway Diablo Octane Pro 3-wood impressed again.

[meefer]

Congrats to Redman on the US Am victory. But, to me, this is equally impressive: https://www.golfdigest.com/story/player-disqualifies-himself-at-us-amateur-after-realizing-caddies-error

[rgw]

. . . but for me the most compelling action was watching the guys on the bubble at Greensboro.


I can't imagine getting excited about watching golf in order to see which tour pros with a closet full of endorsement contracts get to play in a few other money grabs. Whatever turns you on, I guess.

[Manku]

Terrific play all week...I volunteered.

USGA did no promotion...not even my hardcore golfing friends had any clue the US Amateur was in town...I don't think I saw a sign/banner/ad for the event all summer.

Plus, there were very few Riviera members in attendance or volunteering...not surprising, since Riviera is really about the golf course, not a "club" in the traditional sense...blame the owner. Course was in fantastic shape, FWIW.

I asked a couple of the dads what the difference was between the players (they could all hit the ball a ton)...they were all very clear...putting and short game.

If that's the case, I like Doc Redman's future as a pro!

[PG]

http://golfweek.com/2017/08/21/match-play-madness-golf-channel-fox-tackle-2-of-seasons-best-head-to-head-events/ Should Inkster have worked the Girls Jr and/or Women's Am?

[Convert]

rgw- if you listen to the interviews you may 'get it', otherwise you and I have a different perspective on some of those players.

[Thank Matt]

Hi Matt, would you best either of them with big-enough money on the line. If so, please assess their games all you want. Otherwise ...

[FC]

Matt's assessment was close enough. I'll add that Redman should have a better chance at the pros, with a fade and relaxed demeanor.

Ghim was done when he committed a cardinal match play sin two consecutive holes--not expecting the worst from your opponent. His head was exploding on the 37th tee.

[PG]

http://www.golf.com/tour-news/2017/08/21/golfs-great-amateur-events-are-still-more-thrilling-and-gratifying-ever

[I was there]

Matt - what match were you watching? Yes, they both putted very well. However, go back and remember, or watch the highlights if you can't. They both got up and down repeatedly. Given that the PGA tour average, over the past 30 years or so, for GIR is about 75% - short game rules.

Doc doesn't hit huge fades - it's controlled. Look at the pro tracers on the replays, Somehow same ball flight seems to work for hacks like Dustin Johnson and Jason Day.

It's long been documented that the failure of prior younger generation of pros (not current), failed under pressure because their swing was fabricated to the 'tour standard'. It wasn't their own, and didn't hold up under pressure. Doug hit one iffy 3 wood on 37th hole, after a week of intense pressure, on one of the greatest holes in golf - and you blame his move. Ridiculous.

Poll the tour and see how many would take 66 or 67 on Riviera. At the same time, ask how may would take 3 of 4 birdies on 18 under pressure. Get back to us.

[beacamdim]

Awesome.

2000 US Am was awesome, too. Arguably better.

Driscoll nails clutch putt on 36th to cap must win three-hole comeback, then Quinney drains 20-plus footer on 39th for championship.

[Kevin part deux]

Matt is not a critic sitting on a couch with a remote control, guys. He knows the game at that level and has seen it in action.

[Matt]

I was there, too, "I was there." And I've seen Dustin Johnson and Jason Day hit the ball on many occasions and these 2 finalists are not nor will ever be in the same stratosphere. That tee shot on the 37th was far from the only poor shot Ghim hit. Besides the pulls, there were some heavy iron shots(like on the 36th). The fact that they scrambled and putted so well tells you how sloppy some of the shotmaking was. Redman has the better future of the two, but unless he's got Jordan Spieth intangibles he'll be another Jeff Quinney(sorry becamdim)

[Mike U]

I was standing right behind Redman's 3W on 17 and man, he tore into it but Ghim was SO pumped up. Couldn't believe he flew the green from there. On 18 I was even closer to Doc and that fade (from the rough) around the trees to right (!) of the flag was incredible. He also put himself in perfect shape on the playoff hole. Both guys played incredible. What a treat to have walked with the match. Geoff, looked like you were chatting away with a bunch of different guys along the way so I didn't say interrupt to say hello but looked like you had a blast; and really, how could you not with that day!

[Bill Shamleffer]

For the last 40 years of US Ams, I would put this final in the top 5. Tiger's comeback,against Scott at TPC, and Nathaniel Crosby's win in1981 at Olympic both also get into the top 5 most exciting finals for me.