Peel Shoots Respectable Even-Par Round in U.S. Amateur

Billy Peel says the strength of his golf game is off the tee. Yet it was Peel’s short game that carried him to an even-par 70 in the first round of the U.S. Amateur Monday, Aug. 22, at Blue Mound Country Club in Wauwatosa, WI.

Playing the shorter of the national championship’s two courses, Peel was able to recover twice from double bogeys.

“My driving was off today, but I made up for it by making putts,” Peel said. “On the greens, you can roll it so easily out here. They’re quick, they’re fast.”

Peel got himself in trouble early, recording a double bogey at the par-4 second hole. But the Eastern Kentucky University rising senior righted the ship a birdie on the par-5 fifth and finished only one shot over par on the front nine.

Peel dropped back to three shots over par after a double bogey at the 11^th hole, but finished his round with three birdies in the final seven holes. On the par-5 18^th hole, Peel got up-and-down for his birdie four after just missing the green on his second shot.

Noting that there were some tough pin positions on the course, Peel was pretty satisfied with his Monday round.

“The greens protect the whole golf course,” Peel said. “If you’re on the wrong tier of the green then you’re kind of screwed; you’re putting up a hill or down a hill.”

Peel still has one more year left at Eastern Kentucky before hoping to turn pro after the summer of 2012. He’s enjoying college life in an area that is “a little different” than Potomac, MD.

On Tuesday, Peel will compete at Erin Hills, a course that plays as long as 7,760 yards. And Peel says he’ll need to use that same college life mentality if he wants to advance to the match-play portion of the championship.

“Stay patient out there because you’re going to make bogeys and hit some bad shots,” Peel said. “It’s a long golf course, you’ve got to relax and just have fun.”