U.S. Amateur notebook: Oakmont's Sean Knapp misses out on coveted match play spot

The pressure of playing in his backyard did not sit as hard on Sean Knapp’s shoulders as a factoid.

He was the second-oldest player in the 312-man field at the U.S. Amateur. It’s an achievement, no doubt. But Knapp wanted this one badly.

The veteran just wanted a shot at match play, where anything can happen.

Knapp, 59, still has plenty of game in the golden years of his lengthy and decorated amateur career, but even his gears get sticky once in a while.

He has competed at the highest level of amateur golf and has withstood the test of time. But he accepts reality.

“It’s a young man’s game,” said Knapp, who lives in Oakmont and has played in 51 USGA events — four straight U.S. Amateurs.

Knapp was playing in his 17th U.S. Amateur but had an arduous task to get to match play as he played Oakmont on Tuesday in the second round of the 36-hole stroke-play segment. It wasn’t meant to be.

He teared up after his round as he hugged his daughter and caddie, Kensey, and wife, Suzanne. He made a triple bogey on No. 18 to shoot 77 and finish at 11-over-par 155, somewhere around 240th place at the time, well out of contention. He tapped in on No. 18 just before a weather horn sounded to delay play.

“This is so much golf course for me,” Knapp said. “These kids can get away with more out here. We’ll see what some of these guys do in 40 years. It was such a treat to be here.”

Knapp made five bogeys Monday at Longue Vue Club for a 4-over 74, digging himself a hole that was nearly impossible to crawl out from as he played Oakmont.

“I hit a lot of good shots, but I left some putts on the lip and got nothing out of this round,” Knapp said. “I hit No. 12 in two: driver, hybrid. I played some good golf. But when I bogeyed 16, the winds were out of the sail. The second days of these USGA events are so hard.”

Knapp, the 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur champion, was being followed by a USGA film crew.

“They were at my house at 6 this morning,” he said. “I guess that means something. I still enjoy competing, and it was special to play here. It’s just always in the back of your mind: Don’t screw this up.”

Knapp’s fellow Hannastown Golf Club member, Palmer Jackson, also failed to reach match play after a pair of 76s.

The Notre Dame junior and Franklin Regional graduate also could not take it low at Longue Vue Club in the first round and found himself clawing back at Oakmont.

“I hit a couple tee shots to the right (on Monday). I’ve been fighting that,” said Jackson, 20, who played in his fourth U.S. Amateur. “You can’t miss right over there because that is where the trouble is. I was pressing today.

“To contend here, you have to do everything well. I didn’t do anything up to my standards, and it is disappointing.”

Jackson, a quarterfinalist in the ’19 U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst, has had another summer for the mantle.

He won the Sigel Match Play tournament, took third at the Frank B. Fuhrer Invitational and was fourth at the Sunnehanna Amateur. Forever a sponge for golf knowledge, he said he continues to learn as he goes.

“This was a neat experience, but I have to play better,” he said. “Hopefully, I can play in the (2025) U.S. Open here and look back on this week.”

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Announcement coming

The USGA said there will be a “major announcement” at 11 a.m. Wednesday morning at Oakmont. While no further details were given, officials from Oakmont and Merion Golf Club will be present, along with senior leaders from the Pennsylvania legislature.

Talk around the grounds Tuesday indicated that Oakmont will be granted a number of future USGA championships.

Oakmont, home to the U.S. Amateur for the sixth time, will host the 2025 U.S. Open for a record 10th time.

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Other locals

Jake Sollon of Peters Township was at 4-over 144 and tied for 85th, and North Allegheny graduate Kevin O’Brien was 5-over with six holes left in his second round, at Oakmont, and tied for 109th when play was stopped at 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Jason Li, a Sewickley Academy graduate who plays at Carnegie Mellon, was 8-over with five holes to go. He was tied for 170th.

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Next stop

The USGA announced Arcola Country Club in Paramus, N.J. will serve as a co-host for stroke play for the 2022 U.S. Amateur, next Aug. 15-21. Ridgewood Country Club is the host course for stroke and match play.

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Chip shots

There were 7,811 entries for the U.S. Amateur this year. Last year saw an all-exempt field because of the pandemic. But the entry record is 7,920 from 2016 at Oakland Hills Country Club. … The top three ranked players in the world were grouped together for stroke play: No. 1 Keita Nakajima (Japan), No. 2 Pierceson Coody (Plano, Texas) and No. 3 Ludvig Aberg (Sweden). … The last time the U.S. Amateur was played at Oakmont, in 2003, three players finished under par. Pittsburgh Field Club was the co-host for stroke play. The players are J.B. Holmes, Trip Kuehne and Billy Hurley. … Donald Kay of San Diego had the low round of the day at Longue Vue with a 5-under 65. He had four birdies and an eagle, and shot 31 on the front nine.