BALLYLIFFIN, IRELAND | Decisions, decisions.
Denmark’s Jacob Skov Olesen was all set to turn professional in October after five years of collegiate golf in the States and a final hurrah of summer golf in Europe.
Victory in the 129th Amateur Championship at Ballyliffin Golf Club here in County Donegal has presented the 25-year-old Olesen, who recently completed his fifth collegiate season at Arkansas after three years at Texas Christian and one year at Ranger (Texas) College, a host of glorious complications, however.
His 4-and-3 victory over the in-form Englishman Dominic Clemons in the 36-hole final gains him entry into next month’s Open Championship at Royal Troon, and he won’t hesitate to take up that thrilling offer.
But what to do about the invitations to next year’s Masters Tournament and the U.S. Open? “It’s kind of a nice problem to have, right?” Olesen said with a grin before bursting out laughing at the wonderful absurdity of his new situation.
Perhaps he was remembering how, at the start of an always blustery, sometimes gusty and often wet week, he’d had distinctly low aspirations. “I hadn’t played links golf since the Irish Amateur at Royal County Down in 2017," he said, adding: “And I missed the cut with a round in the 80s, so I didn’t think I was very good at it, but I’m older and wiser now. I coped better with the bad bounces, and I might change my mind about links golf after this week.”
"It’s what you dream of since you were a kid, to play those courses and play against those fields. It’s very cool, and I’m really proud to be the first Danish winner."
Jacob Skov Olesen
He perhaps ought to. At No. 88 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking to start the week, Olesen qualified for the match-play brackets by shooting rounds of 70-74 for a share of 21st.
“I just improved every day after that,” he said, “and I really enjoy match-play golf, so I was just happy to advance deeper into the championship. I was feeling pretty confident, actually.”
He defeated Sweden’s Hugo Thyr, 4 and 3; Wales’ Tomi Bowen, 3 and 2; England’s Tom Osborne at the 20th hole; Scotland’s Calum Scott, 1 up; and American Luke Sample, 3 and 1, to qualify for Saturday’s 36-hole shootout.
Informed he was his nation’s first championship finalist, he said: “I guess it’s something I’ll always have, but now it’s time to be the first Danish winner.” Then he took care to screen his phone messages, reading and responding only to those from his family, closest friends and coach.
If it was relatively easy to avoid the noise on WhatsApp, it required rather more self-control to avoid thinking of those golden tickets to Royal Troon and Augusta National.
“I thought about it all day and all night,” he conceded afterward.
In the final, Clemons, who won the Scottish Men’s Open Amateur by 17 shots at Muirfield earlier this month, made the first move with a winning birdie at the par-4 third. But the 22-year-old from Gog Magog Golf Club in Cambridgeshire made bogeys at four of the next five holes, and Olesen held the advantage from then until the conclusion.
Briefly, around the turn in the afternoon round, Clemons staged a fightback. He drained a 35-foot winning birdie putt at the ninth and then drove the green at the par-4 10th. He would hole the 15-foot eagle putt to win the hole, which he needed because Olesen, who had found deep rough from the tee and the greenside bunker with his hack out, holed from the bunker for a birdie.
But the runner-up’s eagle was too little, too late, and he knew it.
“Not enough,” he said. “Usually, I pride myself on playing my best when it matters but didn’t do that today. Disappointed and frustrated, but it is what it is. That’s golf. Too many three-putts. I was giving him early Christmas presents, basically.”
The match drew to a close on the 15th green. “I was thinking, two putts from 15 feet and you get to play the Open and the Masters and the U.S. Open,” Olesen said before completing the job. “It’s what you dream of since you were a kid, to play those courses and play against those fields. It’s very cool, and I’m really proud to be the first Danish winner.”
Of the match, he said: “I felt pretty much in control, but I always wanted to be 3-up rather than just 2-up. There’s a big mental difference between the two. I made a real effort to come out in the afternoon and put some distance between us.
“When he won 9 and 10, I said to my caddie, ‘Let’s just halve the next hole, stop the bleeding, stop his momentum and get the match closed.’”
He did just that.
Danish golf is in fine fettle right now.
At the professional level, the nation’s efforts are being led by the 23-year-old twin brothers Rasmus and Nicolai Højgaard, about whom Olesen said: “I obviously look up to them even though they are younger than me.” Nicolai wasted little time sending the champion a congratulatory message, and the godfather of Danish golf, Thomas Bjørn, also voiced his pleasure. They are both likely to see more of Olesen in the months to come, regardless of the decision he makes regarding the paid ranks.
His college career is finished, however. “I’m done over there now,” said Olesen, who set an Arkansas record with a 69.94 season scoring average.
Arkansas men’s coach Brad McMakin said: “Jacob impressed me most with his patience and how he controls his emotions. He’s very friendly and a great teammate.”
That patience may be a valuable virtue should he decide to cash in his Augusta National ticket next April.
He’s not the only Dane to be faced with quandaries, of course.
To be (professional), or not to be – that is the question.
RESULTS
Matt Cooper