Olson Focused On The Prize

By Dave Fanucchi, USGA

Norman, Okla. - Of the eight quarterfinalists at the 2009 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, Eddie Olson has as much USGA championship experience as any other player remaining in the field. Olson, 21, of Aptos, Calif., has reached the quarterfinals at the APL for the first time, in this, the sixth USGA championship of his young career.

But he is not just happy to have earned an exemption into next year’s APL by doing so.

“I’m here to win this week,” said the UNLV senior. “Every time I tee it up, that’s the only way I can go out there.”

Eddie Olson, 21, of Aptos, Calif. is a first-time quarterfinalst at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. (Robert Walker/USGA)

Olson will meet Brandon Crick of McCook, Neb. Friday morning after winning both of his matches here at the Jimmie Austin OU Golf Club on Thursday. But reaching the match play portion of the USGA championships he has played has not been much of an issue for him in the past. He is five for five in that department. What has eluded him more often than not, is being able to advance deep into the bracket.

Having played in each of the last four U.S. Amateurs (2005-08), he has been eliminated in the first round twice, and in the second round in 2006 at Hazeltine. His best run came back in in San Francisco in 2007 at The Olympic Club, when he reached the quarterfinals before being eliminated by Casey Clendenon, 4 and 3. The Olympic Club was just a short drive from where Eddie grew up and he had played the course a handful of times.

In his only other APL appearance in 2007, Olson advanced past stoke play with ease, but was beaten in his first match.

“It definitely takes some experience to know how to play well in match play, but I’ve been hanging in there this week, and just finding a way to win,” said Olson. “There really hasn’t been one facet of my game that has stood out, so I’ve just had to overcome those doubts out there, and keep fighting.”

Playing against Sean Maekawa of Paauilo, Ha., the match went back and forth and the players were all square through 11 holes. Olson grabbed a 1-up lead and held on to that lead all the way to the par-4, 17th hole, when both players missed the green with their second shots. When Olson was able to chip his ball to within 4 feet of the hole, and Maekawa missed his par putt, he was faced with a chance to close it out.

“I could see some lightning in the distance, and knew the officials were talking about stopping play,” said Olson. “So, I was thinking that I just needed to find a way to make the putt, so I could get this match over with, without having to wait out a weather delay just to come back and play one hole.”

His instincts were right. Play was suspended just minutes after Olson sank the winning putt.

Of the six amateur events Olson has won in his career, including the 2008 Mountain West Conference Championship, five have been entirely at stroke play. The one title he did bring home in which he was able to successfully win five consecutive matches came at the 2005 Northern California Amateur, which he lists as his most memorable moment in golf.

“I’m taking them one at a time this week, and just seeing what happens,” said Olson. “But I would desperately love to win this championship. This is as big as it gets for us.”

Dave Fanucchi is the USGA's director of communcations, public relations. Contact him with questions or comments at dfanucchi@usga.org.