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RYE, NEW YORK | “I’m good if you’re good,” Rachel Heck said to Jensen Castle on the 17th hole of their U.S. Women’s Amateur semifinal on Saturday. The duo had a pair of 3-footers left for par and Heck was leading the match, 1 up.
Many other players would’ve wanted to see their opponent’s putt struck, especially with a chance to close out the match and it was just on the edge of the “circle of friendship.” But Heck chose the give – a classy though surprising gesture made out of mutual respect – and the two headed to the 18th hole with a berth in the final on the line.
After reaching the green in regulation, Heck ran her birdie putt past the hole and missed left on the comeback par attempt, an appalling three-putt that sent the match to extra holes. With the window of opportunity cracked slightly open, Castle capitalized by burying a 15-footer for birdie on the par-4 10th hole to put the pressure on Heck.
Considering her stellar putting performance in big moments throughout the week, the 8-footer Heck had to extend the match seemed like it couldn’t miss. Leaving the putter face, it looked good. Alas, it was a hard lip-out on the right side that spelled the end of her run at her bid to join Vicki Goetze (1992) as the only players to win the NCAA and U.S. Women’s Amateur titles in the same year.
Castle advanced to Sunday and won it all.
As the competitors hugged it out, Heck, obviously gutted by the loss, kept her composure and wished Castle well, telling the eventual champion to “go win it tomorrow.” Though it was an upsetting way to go out, Heck’s ability to compartmentalize her frustration and encourage her opponent with the sting of defeat still fresh suggests she will go even further in this game. Perspective isn’t something that can be taught easily, but the 19-year-old from Stanford already has it in spades.
“What an amazing weekend,” an emotional Heck said after the match. “I’ll probably have a better perspective on it in a day or so, but it was so much fun to make it to the semifinals. (Jensen and I) had so much fun.
“Before the match, we were talking about how much fun it was going to be. We’re good friends, and I think we both know what’s important. Obviously, it stinks to lose, but we wanted to play good golf and wanted to have a close match, and we did and we had a lot of fun. I hope everyone else could see that.”
While Heck is certainly a stellar player – having an NCAA title and Annika Award already under her belt – it’s her demeanor and attitude that set her apart from many other golfers her age. She possesses an infectious effervescence and understands that the way she carries herself can heavily influence a younger generation.
“I’m definitely ready to get back. I miss team golf a lot. It’s so much fun to have a team, but it’s been nice to get some experience playing on the LPGA, and this experience is awesome.”
rachel heck
Heck also seems at ease on the course no matter the situation she’s in and that mental toughness is something that Curtis Cup captain Sarah Ingram thinks will be crucial to the rookie’s success in Wales in a few weeks.
“She’s on fire,” said Ingram. “Golf seems pretty easy to her right now. She’s got an all-around great game and such a great attitude and she seems happy in life which translates to the golf course.
“You’re going to have some weather issues and different challenges with having playing partners and foursomes. Her go-with-the-flow personality will be really good. I think for sure she’s going to be there for her partner and the team and the United States.”
Heck looks to the competition with anticipation, having automatically qualified for the United States team ahead of the Women’s Am, and the opportunity to play for her country is something that will be even more significant for the future member of the Air Force Reserve.
“That’s always been a dream,” Heck said. “I’ve always wanted to play the Curtis Cup. Any chance to wear the red, white, and blue. (Match play) is such a fun format and it’s not too often you get to play it. So when I get to, I’m really excited.”
With so much to look forward to, one has to wonder if Heck’s U.S. Women’s Amateur heartbreak will linger. Considering her propensity to look on the sunny side, it’s unlikely that it will. But it still registers as one of the biggest missed opportunities of her career so far. Though she knows that’s just how golf can be, missing a shorty to win outright is still excruciating.
“Obviously, that's not how you want it to go, but it happens,” she said. “Everyone misses those putts, and it just happened at a bad time. It’s tough, but I played a good playoff hole. She made the putt and I don’t know how I missed, but it was a good roll.”
Nevertheless, making it to the semifinals at the U.S. Women’s Amateur is a major accomplishment and something that Heck can carry with her as she heads back to Stanford for her sophomore season. With the experience derived from a summer of stellar play in both the amateur and professional ranks, she seems poised for more in 2021-22.
“I’m definitely ready to get back,” Heck said. “I miss team golf a lot. It’s so much fun to have a team, but it’s been nice to get some experience playing on the LPGA, and this experience is awesome. I’m so ready to start the season with my team.”
Although she leaves New York with a sour taste, Heck’s buoyant disposition remains intact. Lessons learned in defeat at Westchester just might provide her more wisdom in an already full arsenal.
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