Crockett Golfer Has Strong Showing in US Amateur
Holcomb Stumbles in Round of 32
By Will Johnson
Messenger Reporter
OAKMONT, PA – This is quickly becoming a late summer ritual! This past week, former Crockett Bulldog and Sam Houston State alum William Holcomb V was back on the links as he competed at the US Amateur Golf Championship at the Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, PA.
Holcomb was looking to improve on last year’s performance at Bandon Dunes in Bandon, OR. where he shot an opening round 76 and followed with a 72 to miss the cut by three shots.
In 2019, however, Holcomb made it to the semifinals in the US Amateur when it was held at Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst, NC.
This year’s US Amateur was back on the eastern side of the country as it was held at the Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.
According to the Oakmont website, “Introduced in 1903 by designer Henry Fownes, Oakmont Country Club has hosted more combined USGA and PGA championships than any other course in the U.S., including nine United States Opens, five U.S. Amateurs, three PGA Championships, and two U.S. Women’s Opens. Oakmont remains perhaps the most difficult course in North America, with 175 deep bunkers (personified by the Church Pews), hard and slick greens that slope away from the player, and tight fairways requiring the utmost precision. Oakmont was the site of “the greatest round of the 20th century”: Johnny Miller’s final round 63 at the 1973 U.S. Open. Golf Digest ranks Oakmont #5 in its most recent version of America’s Top 100 courses.”
Holcomb came out on fire in the first round of the tournament as he fired a two-under par 68 to finish Day One of stroke play five strokes back of Jacob Bridgman, who carded an opening round 63.
Day Two saw, the former Crockett Bulldog stumble a little bit as he shot a four-over 74. While it certainly wasn’t the score he wanted, it was good enough to move him into the match play portion of the tournament.
In the Round of 64, the All-American took on Brad Reeves from Woodbridge, CA. After the two golfers halved the first hole, Holcomb got hot as he birdied the next three holes and when Reeves bogeyed number five, Holcomb found himself 4-up after five.
The score remained that way until the ninth hole when Holcomb made par while Reeves had a bogey to push Holcomb’s lead to 5-up. The next hole saw Holcomb play steady golf with another par while Reeves dropped another shot.
Reeves finally won his first hole of the match when Holcomb bogeyed the 667-yard par 5 12th hole. It was too little, too late for Reeves as Holcomb regrouped to par the next two holes and win the match 6 and 4.
After advancing to the Round of 32, the Crockett native was paired against Devin Bling from Ridgecrest, CA and the two golfers put on a show as it took 21 holes to decide the match.
The lead seesawed back-and-forth through the front nine until Holcomb broke through to win the eighth and ninth holes to take a 1-up lead at the turn.
Bling tied the match on 13 with a par and took the lead on 15 with a birdie. Holcomb refused to fade away, however, and squared the match when he calmly rolled in a birdie at the 479-yard par 4 17th hole.
Both golfers made par on 18 to set up a little overtime drama. The two golfers returned to the 487-yard par 4 11th where they both made par. The 12th hole was next as both Holcomb and Reeves made par, once again. On the 13th, Holcomb made par but Reeves hit an incredible shot to give him a shot at a birdie which he drained to win the match 1-up and advance to the Round of 16.
Earlier this year, Holcomb had been selected as a Golfweek All-American after helping lead the SHSU Bearkats to a 9th-place finish at the NCAA Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club in Scottsdale, Ariz. It was the Bearkats’ first trip to the NCAA Championships. In addition, Holcomb was the 2016 Class 3A Golf State Champion.
From all of us at The Messenger, congratulations on your performance at the 121st US Amateur this year Will and best of luck going forward.
Will Johnson may be contacted via e-mail at [email protected].
