Scene & Heard at Reynolds Plantation: Third Round
Movin' on up: With a field of 91 players, Saturday's tee times were moved up to accommodate the large number of groups. The field of players who made the cut was too large to have split tees, so the first group went out at 7:20 a.m. ET.
Mr. Consistency: Colin Amaral, a PGA Assistant Professional at Metropolitan Country Club in White Plains, N.Y., hit a staggering 16 out of 18 greens in regulation in the third round on his way to a 66. Amaral started the day tied for 50th but ended it tied for fifth. Incidentally, the only two greens he missed, holes No. 5 and 12, could be attributed to the strong rain coming down at both of those times. He managed to save par on both holes.
There's your trouble: Hole No. 5 is a 422 yard par 4 and played as the most difficult hole on the course on Saturday. How difficult was it? The average score on the hole was 4.611. Even more, there were more "others" (triple bogey or higher) recorded on the hole (five) than there were birdies (four).
Helping hands: A majority of the players brought their own caddies to the PGA Professional National Championship, but for those who didn't, caddies were available at the tournament site. A total of 99 caddies were used in the practice rounds and 92 were used in the tournament. Many of the caddies are employed at Reynolds Plantation's Oconee Course, where fore caddies are mandatory for guests. But to fill out the roster of caddies, caddies were hired from such prestigious courses as Augusta National, Pinehurst, Kiawah Island and TPC Sawgrass.
Hitmaker: Brad Martin, who was featured as the No. 2 highlight in ESPN's "Top Ten" following his Buick Enclave-winning ace on the 17th hole Friday, thrilled the crowds and cameras again Saturday with a long eagle putt that dropped on the 18th hole. Martin sits at 5 under par heading into the final round.
Stepping out: Tracy Flinton, the wife of third-round co-leader Kyle Flinton, has been caddying for him this week. She's also been wearing a pedometer, and she's racked up 21.8 miles in three days -- and she took 14,532 steps Saturday alone! She caddies for her husband in all competitive events.
HEARD:
TIM THELEN
73-69-70--212 -4
"I had an 18-degree and I actually had too much club. I couldn't get my 21-degree there and the 18 was too much so I tried to take a little bit off and just missed it. When I hit it I knew I missed it because I bottom-grooved it.
"Yesterday I made a couple of eagles and a few birdies and today I was actually hitting the ball well and when I got to the back nine I started coming out like I have been doing the past month and I don't know what it is. I am inposition I think I will be four back and we will see what happens
"I was looking for 68 and I had it in my grasp and I three-putted 14 and made bogey here so it was right there.
"I started out well today. I birdies 2 and 3today so if I can go out and do that again today and get it to 6 under and maybe birdie three of the first seven, it is out there. The course is in absolutely perfect position. The greens are rolling great and if you hit a bad shot you get penalized.
"I think having won before it gives me an advantage somewhat. There are guys that must be playing well, I mean they are at 7 or 8 under at least. They must be hitting the ball and putting the ball relatively well, to say the least. I am going to have to put up a real low number tomorrow or otherwise I won't be getting get No. 3 [National Championship victories]."
BRAD MARTIN
73-69-69--211 -5
Brad, quite a week thus far, and we still have a week to go. You have a hole-in-one, were No. 2 on ESPN's Top Ten highlights, you've got a great new car, and you just jumped up the leaderboard with an eagle. Could you script it any better than this?
"No, not really. I had high hopes coming in here. I've had a good couple of years playing and I've been playing well this year. I've got a new job, I'm in a new city, and just kind of a new life all around -- so I was just excited to get here. But no, I couldn't have imagined winning a car or really even playing as well as I have, especially with a balky putter all three days. But I've just managed to get it around, stay safe, and keep grinding."
There was nothing balky about that last putt.
"No, the last couple of holes there I was able to finally get the ball to the hole. And good things happen when you do that."
How long was that last putt for eagle?
"I'd say 30-35 feet maybe."
And what are your thoughts heading into tomorrow?
"Just the same thing. I've been working on my golf swing, I found a really good niche today. I found a couple of key thoughts and stuck to them and they really worked out well. I think I only missed one or two greens today. If I can make a few more putts, keep up with the good thoughts and post a good number, then I'll feel really good."
COLIN AMARAL
73-72-66--211 -5
"I played pretty solid. I've been hitting it pretty well all week. Today I was just fortunate enough to make more putts. I straightened out a few things on the putting green with my stroke and rolled it a little bit better yesterday. I just didn't hit a lot of close shots and today I hit a few close ones and made some longer putts. It was a pretty easy 66, I thought. I didn't miss too many greens and when I missed it I missed it in the right spots and I got a couple good breaks out there.
"I missed the greens on 5 and 12. It was raining pretty hard on number 5. I just kind of pulled a 6-iron a little bit. I was fortunate enough to get that up and down and on 12 it was raining again. I just kind of pulled it again. I was blocked out with the tee shot and had to punch it up the hill. I hit an 8-iron in and almost chipped it in so that kind of kept the round going and I had some really good lag putts. On No. 3 had it across the green. I was pin-high all the way on the other side and two putted it. That kind of kept the momentum going for me. I was very pleased with the way I played. I made some good putts and hung in there.
"Yesterday the ball was rolling a lot on the fairways. Today with the heavy air and the rain I had some longer club selections in there. They did move the tee up on No. 11 to kind of entice you to go for the green. Still I laid back to where I was all week and got it up and down for birdie there on that hole. But the greens are a little bit softer. They've been soft the whole week but they're getting even softer. I think this afternoon the guys are going to have some trouble with footprints and spike marks and stuff.
"I like my chances. I just kind of go with it. I really don't have any idea of where I stand when I'm playing; I'm just so into each shot. If I can play well and keep making some putts, that's the key for me. I'm a pretty good driver of the golf ball and that's my strength. You do have to hit it straight here. I feel like if I continue to hit the ball in the fairway, and get a couple good looks at it. I like my chances very much so.
"On 5 they have the pin kind of tucked to the water. It was raining and I was in between clubs and I just kind of didn't trust a little bit and I missed it left.
"I thought they were going to bring us in off the course on No. 4 green. It was starting to rain pretty heavy but there's no lightning in the air, so there was no reason to. I just bore down and fought through it.
"I'd like to do the best that I can. I've been fortunate enough to qualify for this tournament a few times and I've done okay. I'd just like to play the best that I can play. Coming into this week I was hitting the ball pretty well and rolling it pretty well. I won one tournament up in our section so far this year so I have some confidence and I just want to try to keep it going and make some putts."
(About friend Charles Meola)
"Charlie and I have known each other for years and we play a lot of golf together through the season, especially in the winter we go down to Florida, so we know each other's games very well. We played all three practice rounds together. It didn't surprise me what he did yesterday (a 65). He's a very good player. He's confident in his ability and he showed it yesterday.
"That would be very special (qualifying for the PGA Championship) but we're a long way away from that and 18 holes is a lot of golf. I don't want to think about that at this time."
DON YRENE
69-76-66--145 -5
"We played in and out of rain for seven holes, and it was kind of tough. But, what made things good was that there was no wind and the greens were soft.
"I had been struggling with my swing before the round, but found a swing key to use on the range. I was putting really good today. The greens just fit me.
"A chip-in at the par-5 sixth got me going. The next hole I hit a 4-iron to within eight feet and made that putt. Then, I made a 30-footer at eight. I had four birdies in a row from 13 through 16, lipped a birdie out from 20 feet at 17 and nearly got my birdie putt (from 20 feet) at 18 to go. It was just a great putting day."
KYLE FLINTON
70-68-69--208 -8
You just pulled it out of for birdie.
"You got to hang in there. It takes all the body language you can get. You got to get the line and the speed just right."
Tell me about how you got it off to a really great start.
"I did. I really didn't warm up that good. I was a little off, so I went out there and I guess it was helping me narrow my focus. I was starting to hit a little cliff but my putts were right on, so it was a great feeling. You know. I got around and tried to steer it around one hole and I hit it in the creek. And made a double. But other than that I played pretty good. No complaints."
How are you feeling about tomorrow?
"I'm excited. I would much rather be -18, but you know it feels good to make some good shots and some good putts. You know, these guys, we are all kind of bunched up; none of us are that much better. I'm a little apprehensive about tomorrow and hope that we have good weather like this for tomorrow. And be able to come out and play golf."
What is your key to a good round?
"Just staying in the present and enjoy it instead of making the situation bigger than it really is. That is what gets all of us. We make the situation so big we feel we are not ready for it. It is still just golf even though it would be a good thing to win. We still just have to go out and play golf and I have a buddy of mine caddying for me this week and he did a good job of reminding me that we are on the golf course. We will just do it again tomorrow."
There is a pretty good purse for you tomorrow. If you win, what will you do with it?
"Yeah, with our house for sale and we will buy up."
What is your expectation for tomorrow?
"Just to come out and play like I want to play. Just focus on the shot at hand. Don't get ahead, and don't look back, don't pat myself on the back too much. Analysis the situation and decide on what club I want to use. Step up with confident and commitment."
What did you have for dinner last night, steak or fish?
"I had sausage. I had lasagna and sausage off the plate from the lady that was eating with us that didn't want it."
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