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Posted 06/10/2008 at 08:57 AM
Last week my son, Matt Nolasco, and I were at Columbus, Ohio for the US Open Sectional Qualifying. He got into the Sectional when the USGA called us last Tuesday and asked us if we wanted to replace Rod Pampling in the Sectional Qualifier. We said yes. Matt was an Alternate from his local qualifying in Midland, TX. He played at Odessa NJCAA this year and hopefully will be at a D-1 school soon.
Matt put on a clinic playing with several pros in practice rounds. He is a solid ball striker. However, when it counted on Monday a 36 hole qualifier, he could not find the hole. He lipped out 6 putts and bogeyed the first 4 holes. It was a learning experience for both of us. And for the first time in my life I was not impressed with the PGA players, I was impressed by my son. We played with Johnathan Mills the Canadian PGA Tour pro. He shot a grinding 73 the first round, but if you watched Matt and John play the entire 18 holes you would bet it was Matt who shot the 73 and not the 83. He has a long way to go and he has four more years of College eiligibilty.
Beeming with confidence Matt played this past weekend in Parumph, NV at the first Amateur major of the year here in our State and he won the SNGA Amateur Championship firing 68-66 for a total of -10 under par. Amazing! The kid can play. Thank You USGA!
The reason I mention this, is because had Matt qualified we would be at Torrey Pines a course of which I probably know as well as any course on the PGA Tour. Also, Matt played there the past two years in the summer participating in the Callaway Junior Worlds. And, we would have loved a crack at the US Open on that course with the new set-up.
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