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Experience at U.S. Open may help UD golfer
Saturday, August 16, 2008
DAYTON — University of Dayton golfer Rob Chappell worked as a caddie at the U.S. Open last June, and he's hoping the insights gained from being inside the ropes at Torrey Pines will pay off when he plays for the first time in the U.S. Amateur next week.
The Cincinnati native was on the bag for friend Sean English, a Kenwood Country Club pro. English missed the cut, but the two stuck around for the weekend and were standing near the green when Tiger Woods made his memorable birdie putt to force a playoff.
"It was awesome just to take it all in," Chappell said. "Those guys are the best in the world, and watching what they do to prepare for a big tournament, watching how they warm up every day and play their practice rounds — hopefully, that experience should make it easier next week to not get overwhelmed about how big the U.S. Amateur is.
"Being at the U.S. Open, it doesn't get any bigger than that."
The U.S. Amateur begins Monday, Aug. 18, at Pinehurst in North Carolina. Another UD golfer, Zach Glassman of Highland Heights in northeast Ohio, also made the 312-player field.
