After getting himself in contention in the U.S. Amateur Championship with a one-over 73 in Monday’s round at Erin Hills, Denny McCarthy set out to play, good solid golf on Tuesday at Blue Mound Country Club in Wauwatosa, Wis.
With four birdies and no bogeys, it’s safe to say he did just that.
McCarthy fired a four-under 66 on Tuesday, qualifying him for the match play portion of the championship, which will continue on Wednesday back at Erin Hills.
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“It was really windy out there today and I just wanted to limit my mistakes,” McCarthy said. “I made a couple good par-saving putts and my lag-putting was awesome today.”
After starting his round on the back nine, McCarthy birdied his first hole, the par-4 10th hole. But that momentum was soon killed because of threatening thunderstorms in the area. Play was suspended when McCarthy’s group was playing the 12th hole and wouldn’t resume for more than three hours.
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McCarthy didn’t seem to mind, though. He said he came inside, ate a small breakfast and took a nap before getting refocused.
Once he got back to playing, McCarthy was flawless, maneuvering through a course that proved even more challenging with bad weather conditions.
“Coming in there were a lot of holes into the wind,’ McCarthy said. “I clubbed up 2-3 clubs a couple shots and they still ended up short. The wind was a big factor.”
McCarthy qualified for match play last year, but lost in the first round. He’ll look to get over that hurdle on Wednesday after a good night’s sleep and a fresh start.
“I know what I’m doing out here and I feel comfortable. When my game is good I feel I can play with all the top guys,” McCarthy said.
