McClean heads Foley 2-up at halfway in US Mid-Amateur Final
Hugh Foley was relieved to snatch back a hole at the death and trail Irish teammate and travelling companion Matt McClean by just two holes after the first 18 in the 36-hole US Mid-Amateur Championship final in Wisconsin.
Insisting he must embrace the thought of winning spots in the US Open and the Masters awarded to the champion, the Royal Dublin man feared falling 4-down at one stage at Erin Hills and welcomed the overnight break.
"It's nice," Foley said. "I'll kind of enjoy the break now because I felt like nothing was really going for me out there, so it's nice to stop it and maybe reset tomorrow."
Due to heavy rains last Sunday – 4 inches fell at Erin Hills – the schedule was adjusted to have the second 18 of the final contested on Saturday morning, two days later than planned.
Foley eliminated Bryce Hanstad 3&2 and McClean defeated Josh Persons by the same margin in Friday morning's semi-finals.
But while Foley won the first hole of the final in par, self-employed Belfast optometrist McClean (29) went birdie-par-birdie to win three holes in a row from the second and go 2-up.
Foley (25) levelled the match with wins in birdies at the seventh and 10th, but the Malone player then made three conceded birdies in a row from the 12th to go 3-up.
He also made a 13-footer for a two at the 16th to maintain his advantage, pouring in his putt after Foley made a 30-foot bomb for what he thought would be a winning birdie two.
"I didn't expect him to hole it after, but at least it was in there, and I didn't go 4-down," Foley admitted.
The Dubliner, who became the first man since Darren Clarke in 1990 to win the North and South of Ireland titles back to back this summer, finally won back a hole when McClean hit eight shots before conceding his long birdie from the fringe at the 18th.
"Momentum is huge in match play, and it definitely felt like it could have been worse out there for a little bit," Foley said. "It's nice to get in and get one back before."
The pair are sharing a car and staying with Foley's caddie, Dan Benedum this week with McClean admitting golf would likely come up over dinner.
"I haven't played a 36-hole final before, so I don't know what it's like to play 36 holes in a final, either," said McClean when asked about sleeping on a lead. "But it sort of feels like … the last round of stroke play; a similar sort of feeling as that.
"It's basically all square. That's the way I'm looking at it. We both have everything to play for tomorrow, so we'll probably talk a bit about it."
McClean and Foley are also the first male players from Ireland to reach a USGA final.
Lahinch and Ennis player Valerie Hassett lost in the 1998 US Senior Women's Amateur championship match.
Sometime before noon local time on Saturday (6 pm Irish time), Foley or McClean will become the second Irish player to capture a USGA title in 2022, following Padraig Harrington at the US Senior Open.
Of course, Rory McIlroy (2011) and Graeme McDowell (2010) won the US Open.
As for the perks that go with winning, McClean and Foley had differing attitudes to the guaranteed US Open start at The Los Angeles Country Club next year and the traditional invitation to the Masters.
"It's there," said Foley, who sounded more concerned about his pace putting as the greens sped up in the afternoon and he had three costly three putts.
"We all know the Masters and the US Open is the perk, so don't avoid it, but don't be afraid of losing it. I think it would be nice, if you win, it's great; if you lose, to say I didn't tighten up and I didn't fall at the finish line.
"I think it's just important to not banish it from your mind, just accept it as there but not be afraid of it."
And *also* from the Republic of Ireland 🇮🇪...#USMidAm | @ErinHillsGolf | @GolfIreland_ pic.twitter.com/duehr0DDn0
— USGA (@USGA) September 16, 2022
As for McClean, he said: "Yeah, you probably try not to think about it at all is the plan, the same with any tournament. You try not to think about anything other than the shot you're playing, which is always easier said than done, but yeah, it's the same as any other tournament with all its perks, but as I said, it's trying just to play each hole, and not think at all in advance."
The Irish duo have become closer in recent years as they play foursomes together for Ireland and after discovering their World Amateur Golf ranking exempted them from qualifying for the US Mid-Amateur, they decided to take a chance and travel.
"Insane," said Foley of them both reaching the final. "We've been planning this for months. We heard [defending champion] Stewart Hagestad, No. 8 in the world [ranking], we were like, 'I don't know, will we make the cut?' You're travelling all that way and hoping you don't miss the cut. Me and Matt have spent every second of the trip together."
Three-time Major winner Harrington took to Twitter last night to praise them for making the effort.
"Very impressive performance by these two Irish lads who travelled to a one-off event outside their comfort zone and are playing off in the final," Harrington tweeted after carding a 66 in the Sandford International in South Dakota that left him four shots behind Robert Karlsson on four-under.
Foley and McClean were not due funding from Golf Ireland to cover their travel costs but secured last-minute financial help from the powers at Carton House HQ.
“They have a schedule at the start of the year, and this wasn't on it because it's a Mid-Amateur event," McClean explained. "But they have given us a bit of funding for this week at the last minute. It covers some of the expenses.”
