CROMWELL, Conn. — Four years worth of advice from Mike Small resonated with Dylan Meyer this past weekend at the U.S. Open. The recent Illinois graduate spent some time each night before the next round at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club thinking about what his college coach would say.
"That kind of carried me to be where I was in the end," Meyer said.
Where Meyer ended up was a tie for 20th in his professional debut. That put him ahead of notable golfers like Jason Day, Justin Thomas and Phil Mickelson — in addition to the numerous stars that didn't even make the cut — and $122,387 in his first payout after graduation.