Gunnar Broin, pictured Tuesday at the US Amateur, advanced to the playoffs Wednesday morning.
Chris Keane/USGA
CHASKA, Minn. — Nate Deziel, all smiles, was waiting for Gunnar Broin near the goal line at 9 a.m. Wednesday. Broin’s adrenaline was still pumping.
“Did you hear it,” asked Broin, “or see it?”
The answer was both, but whoever he didn’t see Broin’s 15-foot birdie putt on the second qualifying hole to clinch his spot in the 2024 US Amateur playoff category certainly felt the applause.
Broin and Deziel were two of the five Minnesotans to qualify for the US Amateur, but Broin was the only one to pull out with a stroke. His was a rollercoaster ride, too, especially as Broin three-bogeyed his first hole of the week and then made another bogey to start the playoff 14-for-11 Wednesday morning at Hazeltine National Golf Club.
There’s also that little bit of pressure that Broin has put in here for four years and has one of the biggest fans in the role.
“I thought I was done [after the bogey],” said Broin, a senior at Kansas last season. “Doubts are starting to creep in, but I hung in there and was happy to get the chance. I just wanted to get into this moment. It was stressful last night thinking about it. So many emotions right now, it’s great.”
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While the world’s attention on the US Amateur continues over the weekend as the field of play narrows, the first drama is usually on Wednesday morning, when there is a playoff to finalize the 60 players who have qualified for the match.
The US Am was stripped of this sweet stretch of bonus golf last year – only the second time since 2000 that there was no playoff after the 36-hole stroke play section – but it’s back this year for a morning treat.
Fourteen players were tied for the same spot after Tuesday, and tied for tenth place with four teams as of 7:30 a.m. Wednesday. Eleven places were up for grabs.
Broin was in the first group, and after hitting “3 irons about 100” on the range he pulled his gun in the rough. With no green angle, he lay about 70 yards, bounced to 15 feet and missed his par putt. Bogey.
Then he waited. He sat with his coach, Chris Baisch, on the side of the 10th green as the other three teams passed by, waiting to see if he would be given a chance at another qualifying hole. With 11 holes available, the pars were probably good enough, or at least for another qualifying hole. The birds scored tickets to play the game. Those who make bogey will need help.
“A couple of them are my friends, and you don’t like to cheer against him, but hey, I was enjoying the bogeys,” Broin said. “I will not lie. I just wanted a chance. I’m the only one from Minnesota that’s going to play, so I wanted it to be really bad.”
Peter Fountain made the first birdie, and Stanford freshman Ratchanon Tk Chantananuwat, in the second group, added another.
Fountain, a senior at North Carolina last season, made his nearly 45-footer. He said that in the previous play-offs, his idea was to make a difference, which is a backfire and led to criminals. He changed that Wednesday.
“I told my card this morning, I’m going to play golf,” said Fountain. “Don’t focus on trying to score because that’s where I play carefully, so I’m thankful that I was able to do it today.”
Luke Colton bogeyed the second round, and in the third Algot Kleen hit one left and had to drop. When Omar Tejeira Jaén found a spot under the green and left about 20 feet for par, a volunteer said exactly what the golf gallery, and Broin, were thinking: “There’s a chance we’re going to bogey.”
He missed, and Colton, who had joined Broin on the green, looked at his caddy, the look everywhere. we still have a chance.
In the final group, Matthew Comegys birdied and Omar Morales moved up to claim their spots. Ethan Fang three-putted from about 50 feet, making bogey, meaning he was joining the 5-for-3 playoff on the par-3 17th hole.
Broin went 100 yards or more on the 17th by himself and had the first touchdown. It turned out to be the best of the bunch, sitting at about 15 feet. Three others also found the green, and when Joseph Lenane missed the left in the water – and then ran his club around his neck – it was four players competing for three spots.
Fang was the first to play, easily setting two standards. Next up was Colton, who left about 10 feet for par. Morales then plated two for the 3rd save. Broin was last, almost at the top, and with a gallery of about 150 spectators watched as his ball headed for the cup. The speed was good – for the average it looked assured – but his ball caught the left edge and circled the cup for birdie.
“Come on!” he shouted, as the crowd roared. He punched and shouted again. Minutes later, Colton missed from 10 feet, denying extra holes and ending the playoff.
“Honestly, I can’t really describe the feeling,” Broin said. “It’s a whirlwind. I thought I was out and made a 15 footer and now we are in. “
There are five days to go, but the drama is already here.
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