Carlton's Matt Marshall finishes strong at U.S. Open
UPDATE: Matt Marshall followed a difficult front nine with a strong finish on Sunday, ending his storybook appearance at the US Open in a tie for 61st place. His three birdies in the last 10 holes gave him a 76 in the final round, after a 75 in Round 3 on Saturday. Marshall and Tim Wilkinson each won $23,938 for finishing at 296, 16 over par. Winner Dustin Johnson, winner by three strokes at 4 under par, took home $1.8 million for his first major golf title.
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Marshall makes cut, shooting 72-73
Carlton resident Matt Marshall earned himself 36 more holes of tournament golf at Oakmont Country Club by firing a 5-over 145 in his first two rounds of the 116th U.S. Open Championship.
Marshall’s first round didn’t start until Friday because weather suspended play Thursday. He shot a 2-over 72 on his opening 18 holes, then quickly returned to the course for round two and played until darkness halted play on his 32nd hole of the day.
“It was a grind toward the end,” Marshall said from his rental condo Saturday morning. “Thirty-two holes on any day is tough, but on this golf course, in the U.S. Open … when the horn was blown for darkness I was happy to leave.”
Marshall was 5-over, right along the cut line, when he teed off this morning at 7:15 a.m. Eastern time. “It was nice to come out a little refreshed.” He held his position in the field by parring holes 15 through 18 for a second round 75.
In a field of nearly 155 golfers, the top 60 and ties after round two make the cut. Marshall is tied for 45th heading into round three at Oakmont, widely regarded as one of the toughest golf courses in the country. Marshall is scheduled to tee off at 3:44 p.m. Eastern time.
After finishing this morning, Marshall headed back to the condo for some sleep and a shower, so he will be refreshed as he seeks to continue his strong play this evening.
“I played really solid all day and really stuck with it and tried to minimize my mistakes,” he said.
He carded five birdies, eight bogies and one double bogey.
The double came on his third hole of the day, the 684-yard, par 5, 12th. Marshall said he hit a good drive that leaked just a bit and plugged in the face of a fairway bunker. “It was such a bad break. (Had it missed the bunker) it would have been another 40 yards down the fairway and I would have been going for the green in two.”
It took two shots to exit the sand trap, and Marshall scrambled to make a seven.
The next hole, however, a 181-yard par 3, he stuck his iron shot a few feet from the hole and sunk the birdie putt. “That was a huge turn of momentum for me,” he said.
The highlight of Marshall’s first day was also one of the tournament's most memorable shots thus far. On the par-5, fourth, he laid three in some long, greenside rough.
“It was an awful lie. I was just trying to put it 20 feet past the hole to give me a chance (at par),” he said.
His pitch shot flew right in the cup, sending the crowd into a small frenzy.
“That was a really cool moment,” he said, admitting, “it was very lucky.”
Otherwise, Marshall said, his play in the first two rounds was straight and solid.
“I didn’t miss too many fairways (he hit 19 of 28) and didn’t take too many chances,” he said. “I capitalized a few times. I didn’t make any really long putts; my birdies all came from good shots. It just felt really good.”
Marshall, who owns Marshall Davis Wines in Carlton with his two older brothers, qualified for the U.S. Open, one of professional golf's four major championships, by advancing through local and sectional qualifying. He played seven years on the PGA Canadian tour before taking a break from competitive golf after last season. (Click here for more from Tuesday's story.)
His mother, father and wife are with him on his dream trip to the U.S. Open.
Making the cut guarantees him a nice payday no matter how he plays his last 36 holes. But, perhaps more important, “My dad said I’m good on Father’s Day gifts for about 10 years.”
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