Day 1 at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship didn’t exactly go as planned for Minot’s Keegan Fennessy.
Not even close.
“I don’t really even know what happened,” said Fennessy. “My practice rounds, they were unbelievable.”
Fennessy, who graduated this year from Poland Regional High School, started well but struggled through the middle part of his round and down the stretch on his way to a 12-over-par 84 at Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton, Washington, a par-72, 18-hole layout.
“The course, it’s not unplayable, it’s not too hard,” said Fennessy. “The first seven holes, I played more according to the notes I took in the practice rounds. I played more like I usually do.”
The course jumped out at Fennessy early, forcing the young golfer into a bogey on the opening hole. He was at 3-over through seven, but a double-bogey on the 202-yard, par-3 eighth hole put him at 5-over at the turn.
“There, I started to press,” Fennessy said. “I started going for shots that normally I wouldn’t go for. Usually, I just go along, look for pars and take birdies when they come.”
On the back, Fennessy played five holes before carding a par, starting bogey-bogey-double bogey-bogey-bogey.
The U.S. Amateur Public Links is a national tournament put on by the United States Golf Association for golfers who are members at public courses, which the USGA says gives more golfers the chance to participate in a national event.
Fennessy qualified for the tournament by finishing second at a qualifier at Riverside Municipal Golf Course in Portland, and is competing in Washington instead of taking a shot at the Maine Amateur, which starts today at Portland Country Club.
His first round in the books, Fennessy will play his second qualifying round this afternoon, starting on the back nine at 4 p.m. Eastern time. The top 64 golfers in the field will advance to Wednesday’s first day of match play. Fennessy has a long way to go – With golfers still on the course late Monday, 81 golfers were at 3-over-par or better.
“I know I can go out there and make birdies,” said Fennessy. “I can putt well on these greens. The opportunities will be there.”
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