The top 60 players plus ties make the cut at the U.S. Open. The “plus ties” aspect is a major factor as typically more than 60 players make the cut while groups of tied players dangle on the edge of the cut line. On Friday at the U.S. Open, the fate of 15 players hinged on 19-year-old amateur Nick Hardy, one of the final players on the course.
A 19-year-old saved Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter from missing the U.S. Open cut
Sergio Garcia and Ian Poulter were among the players on the way to an early exit at the U.S. Open, but amateur Nick Hardy made sure they made the weekend. He made it too for good measure.
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A freshman at the University of Illinois, Hardy played well on Thursday to position himself to make the cut at Chambers Bay and he appeared in good shape to do so easily well into his second round. Then, he started to stumble down the stretch. Playing in one of the final two groups, Hardy entered No. 9 -- his 18th hole -- at 4-over, right on the cut line. At that time there were 60 players at 4-over or better, while 15, including Sergio Garcia, Ian Poulter and Webb Simpson, sat on the outside looking in at 5-over.
If Hardy made a par or better, Garcia, Poulter and the rest of the 5-overs were headed home. A bogey and Hardy plus that group were in for the weekend. A double bogey and Garcia and others were moving on while Hardy was the one headed home.
Hardy hit his tee shot into the Par 3 into a greenside bunker. His sand shot out left some 26 feet for par. Fortunately for Garcia and the rest, Hardy just missed that long par putt. He tapped in for bogey to finish at 5-over and single-handily bump the cut line back one stroke.
By making a bogey on his last hole, Hardy earned several prominent players a five-figure paycheck. He will also get to play the weekend, but won’t get that same paycheck thanks to his amateur status. Maybe Garcia and the others can chip in to send him a fruit basket or something.
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