Timothy Wiseman is ready for unlikely U.S. Open Appearance
Timothy Wiseman (Ball State Athletics photo)
SOUTHAMPTON, NY (June 12, 2018) - What makes the U.S. Open so special every year are the underdog stories, the ones that you never see coming but when they do happen you realize this is why this tournament is unique.
One such story this year is the one of Ball State rising senior
Timothy Wiseman. The week before U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying, Wiseman, from Corydon, Indiana was playing in the Indiana State Amateur but after not making it through a 12-for-8 playoff to make it to match play he was sent home a bit earlier then he would have liked.
"I don't think I took the [Indiana] State Am for granted necessarily but I guess I wasn't focused enough clearly because I didn't get the job done," Wiseman said following his Monday morning practice round at Shinnecock Hills.
Although he may not have accomplished his goals at his state amateur a different fate awaited him the following week. Wiseman completed the 36-holes of regulation play at Springfield Country Club in 2-under meaning he was headed for yet another playoff, this time a 3-for-2 playoff with a spot in the U.S. Open on the line. In the playoff all three players bogeyed the first extra hole before Wiseman advanced with a par on the second playoff hole.
So just days after losing out on a spot in the Indiana State Amateur he was a playoff winner and heading to the U.S. Open.
"It has been amazing, just all the fans, all the support," a smiling Wiseman said. "It has been incredible. The course is also incredible, the greens are starting to firm up and get a little faster so we are just trying to study them as much as we can."
Wiseman, a member of the 2018 MAC All-Tournament Team, becomes the eight Ball State player to compete in a major but the first to compete while still in school.
"I was struggling there for a little bit [at the state amateur] and I just went into the [U.S. Open] Sectional Qualifier with the mindset of nothing to lose, try to prove myself, try to stay patient, have faith in what I was doing and thankfully it worked out," said Wiseman who will tee off at 2:42 p.m. on Thursday off the 10th tee.
ABOUT THE U.S. Open
The U.S. Open is the biggest of the 14 national
championships conducted by the USGA.
Open
to amateurs and professionals.
The USGA intends to make the U.S. Open
the
most rigorous, yet fair, examination of golf
skills, testing all forms of shot-making. The
USGA prepares the course after careful
consideration of 14 different factors.
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