CHASKA, Minn. — LSU juniors Brian Noonan and Beck Troutman are set to make their first ever appearance in the nation’s most prestigious amateur golf championship when they tee off in the 106th United States Amateur Championship at Chaska Town Course on Monday.
Noonan is scheduled to tee off from the 10th tee at 7:10 a.m. CDT, while Troutman is slated for an 8 a.m. tee time at the first. The two will move to nearby Hazeltine National Golf Club for the second round of stroke play Tuesday with Noonan teeing off from No. 1 at 12:25 p.m. and Troutman following at 1:15 p.m. off the back nine.
The top 64 players after two rounds of stroke play qualify for the single-elimination match play competition beginning Wednesday at Hazeltine National with the tournament champion taking home the Havemeyer Cup after Sunday’s 36-hole championship match. Hazeltine National will play to a lengthy 7,473 yards and par 72 for the championship.
“It’ll be a new experience, but one I know both of us are looking forward to,” Noonan said. “I’m just going to approach it just like I would any other tournament by taking it one shot and one hole at a time. My main focus right now is just hitting a good drive on the first tee at Chaska. If I can do that, then maybe I’ll be in a position to qualify for match play.”
Troutman said both courses place a premium on being able to hit the ball in the fairway off the tee as each has thick rough that is certain to lead to higher scores for much of the field. He believes being able to position the ball correctly in the fairway and on the green is the key to finishing in the top 64 and qualifying for the match play competition.
“You’ve got to be able to put the ball in the fairway to give yourself the best opportunity to score,” Troutman said. “Both of these courses have thick rough that will penalize you if you can’t put the ball in the fairway and on the green when you’re in position to do so. It puts a premium on being able to play position golf.
“I’m just going to try and play smart this week, especially when I do get myself in trouble. Stroke play is different from match play in that big numbers will absolutely kill your chances of making the cut in a tournament like this with the number of great players it has.”
The duo enters the tournament having played well in recent weeks. Noonan qualified for the U.S. Amateur by finishing in third place in the qualifier at The Player Course in The Woodlands, Texas, while Troutman won a one-hole playoff to finish in second place with at Dancing Rabbit Golf Club in Choctaw, Miss.
“We’re both playing well right now, and I couldn’t be happier with the way I’m hitting the ball coming in,” Noonan said. “Hopefully I can have a good finish here and use that as a springboard into the college season. I’m looking forward to having a good tournament.”
This marks the first time in its 44-year history that Hazeltine National has played host to the most prestigious amateur championship sponsored by the United States Golf Association. It has hosted six major championships in its history, including the U.S. Open Championship in 1970 and 1991 and the PGA Championship in 2002.