BANDON, Ore. – Stewart Hagestad is in the final year of his 20s. He’s played in 20 USGA championships, half of them U.S. Amateurs, and qualified for each of the past three U.S. Opens. He won the U.S. Mid-Amateur in 2016, took low-amateur honors the following spring at the Masters and has been on two winning Walker Cup teams.
Oh, and he had just shot 66 some 15 hours earlier.
Most 18-year-olds playing in their first U.S. Amateur would be understandably intimidated drawing the decorated mid-amateur in match play.
“I don't want this in any way to come off as arrogant, but if I at 18 years of age played a two-time Walker Cupper that had played in a few majors, I'd be terrified,” Hagestad said.