After two stroke-play rounds and five ensuing 18-hole matches over the last six days, we have finally arrived at the pinnacle of the 120th U.S. Amateur Championship at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort—the 36-hole championship final.
Will it be Tyler Strafaci, a 22-year-old fifth-year senior at Georgia Tech, or rising Southern Methodist University junior Charles “Ollie” Osborne who will earn the title of 120th U.S. Amateur champion and have his name engraved on the Havemeyer Trophy? Strafaci, of Davie, Fla., hopes to bring the trophy back to the Atlanta campus for a second consecutive year, joining his close friend Andy Ogletree.
Osborne wants to continue a strong legacy of Mustangs who have won the U.S. Amateur, including Bryson DeChambeau (2015) and Hank Kuehne (1998). He also has a chance to take out a second Yellow Jacket this week, having previously defeated Noah Norton in the Round of 32.
On Sunday at Bandon Dunes, the two competitors will showcase their talents to a national-television audience while chasing the most coveted title in amateur golf.
Here are Three Things to Know about the championship match:
Brownie Points
Sitting with assistant SMU coach Brandon Wilkins after a disappointing 5-over 77 at Bandon Dunes late Monday evening, Osborne decided to mask his frustration by ordering a brownie. The staff brought one over from nearby McKees Pub with a large scoop of vanilla ice cream. “I was feeling kind of down,” said Osborne, who failed to qualify for match play in last year’s U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst.
Something happened as his body digested the delectable edible. The next morning, Osborne carded a 7-under 64 at stroke-play co-host Bandon Trails, matching his career-best round and carrying him into match play. Each night since then, Osborne’s routine has included the exact same brownie delight. If he wins, they may have to rename the dessert “The Ollie.”
Cup Chase
Nathaniel Crosby, the 2021 USA Walker Cup captain, has been on the grounds of Bandon Dunes assessing prospective players for the 48th Walker Cup Match next May at Seminole Golf Club in Juno Beach, Fla. There are 10 places on the team, but the winner of Sunday’s match won’t have to sweat out the selection process. The U.S. Amateur champion automatically is on the team, provided he is an American. Strafaci was on the radar for the 2019 team, which also was captained by Crosby, the 1981 U.S. Amateur champion, but ultimately wasn’t picked. He even admitted that his game wasn’t ready for the biennial competition. He would love nothing more than to make the 2021 team, especially since Seminole is not far from his family’s residence.
Osborne might not have been on Crosby’s list prior to this week, but his performance at Bandon Dunes has garned the attention of just about everyone in amateur golf. If he wins on Sunday, he can make plans to be in south Florida in nine months.
Front-Runners
Some players are adept at making comebacks in match play, while others perform better when they have a lead. Osborne and Strafaci clearly have enjoyed playing from ahead. In 82 holes of match play this week, Osborne has been ahead of his opponent or tied in all but three. He was behind for just one hole in the semifinals against Matthew Sharpstene. Strafaci’s record this week is similar. Although he frittered away a 4-up lead on the back nine of his Saturday semifinal match against Aman Gupta, he never trailed. In 87 holes of match play, Strafaci has only been behind for eight holes. It will be interesting to see how either Osborne or Strafaci responds if one them finds themselves in a long-lasting deficit in Sunday’s final match.
David Shefter is a senior staff writer for the USGA. Email him at dshefter@usga.org.
