Stewart Hagestad became the first U.S. Mid-Amateur to make the cut
at the Masters
(MGA Photo)
AUGUSTA, GA (April 7, 2017) -- In the clutch
Stewart Hagestad certainly knows how to hit a
clutch iron shot. Sitting at 4-over and playing the
18th hole on Friday at Augusta National Golf Club
Hagestad hit a perfect approach shot that flew just
past the flag and nearly rolled in for a closing eagle.
After watching his player partners putt out,
Hagestad tapped in his birdie putt to finish his first
two rounds at the Masters 3-over and as the first
ever U.S. Mid-Amateur to make the cut.
Hagestad is also the first mid-amateur player to
make the cut since 1999
when Tom McKnight made
it to the weekend after earning his spot into the field
by finishing as the 1998 U.S. Amateur runner-up.
“My adrenaline was firing a little bit because I knew
kind of where I stood,” Hagestad said following his
round, “and I obviously knew the history with mid-
ams and the Masters, and that’s been something
that’s been on my mind the whole week.”
Hagestad who opened his week with a 2-over 74
came flying out of the gates Friday with birdies on
Nos. 4 and 5 to reach even-par for the tournament.
The birdie on the 5th was the result of a rolled in
19-footer.
“He had a lot of good shots and made some good
putts,” Hagestad’s playing competitor Larry Mize
said. “I’m excited for him. He’s a nice young man,
and I’m happy he’s going to be here on the
weekend.”
Following a run of pars Hagestad switched into hang
on mode as he bogeyed the 9th, 11th, 12th and
17th holes to drop to 4-over. During the run
Hagestad made a nervy par on the 16th and it all
set up the closing hole dramatics that resulted in a
second round 1-over 73.
“The goal to start the week was earn your way to
have the opportunity to come back again next year,”
said Hagestad who will tee off at 12:40 p.m. EST
playing with Brian Stuard for a third straight day.
Reigning U.S. and Asia-Pacific Amateur champion
Curtis Luck turned in a second round even-par 72 to
remain at 6-over and make the cut on the number.
Luck, the top-ranked player in the
Golfweek/AmateurGolf.com Rankings, filled his card
with nine front nine pars before kicking off a seesaw
back nine at Augusta National Golf Club with a birdie
on the 10th.
Luck then grabbed two more birdies on the 13th and
15th holes while also bogeying the 14th, 16th and
18th.
Luck will begin his third round at 10:50 a.m. playing
alongside 1987 Masters champion Larry Mize.
2016 U.S. Amateur runner-up Brad Dalke has
concluded his week at Augusta National with a 3-
over 75. The Oklahoma sophomore was three shots
better on Friday as he carded three birdies and six
bogeys. The birdies for Dalke, 9-over for the
tournament, came on Nos. 13, 16 and 18.
For British Amateur winner Scott Gregory it was
seven shot improvement on day two. One day after
shooting a 10-over 82, Gregory put together a 3-
over 75 that included a 9th hole birdie and an eagle
on the par-5 2nd.
Toto Gana, 17-over, was also a bit better in round
two, shooting an 8-over 80. Earlier in the year Gana
qualified for the Masters with his victory at the Latin
America Amateur and his best stretch of golf for the
week came from Nos. 4-9 when he played 2-under
golf. The birdies fell on the 6th and 9th holes.
-Golfweek contributed to this story
ABOUT THE
The Masters
One of Golf's four professional majors
traditionally invites amateurs who have reached
the
finals of the US Amateur, or won the British
Amateur
or
the US Mid Amateur. Also included are
the winners of the relatively new Asia Pacific
Amateur
and Latin American Amateur.
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