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TEE TALK Wu ready for big stage at U.S. Amateur By Tim Trower Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tim Trower Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 14, 2015 @ 6:49 pm By Tim Trower Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 14, 2015 @ 6:49 pm » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> Dylan Wu faces a tough battle next week in the U.S. Amateur golf championship. A field of 312 players who qualified at sites throughout the country will tee off Monday, beginning two days of stroke play qualifying at Olympia Fields (Illinois) Country Club. The top 64 advance to match play, beginning Wednesday. Fortunately for Wu, the former St. Mary's High standout who will be a sophomore on the Northwestern golf team, he's been battle-tested this summer and is ready for the biggest event of his career. "I definitely think at this stage it's different because I'm playing for the national championship," says Wu, who made it to the NCAA championships as a freshman this past spring. "I'm going to go out and represent where I'm from and try to win the tournament for our national title. It definitely means a lot. It's basically the No. 1 event in the world for amateurs." Indeed, 23 of the top 25 players in the World Amateur Golf Ranking are in the field. Wu is ranked 238th in the world. He is coming off another big tournament, the 113th Western Amateur — which was held in Sugar Grove, Illinois, a short drive from the Northwestern campus — and prior to that he competed in the Pacific Coast Amateur. Those fields included players he's seen regularly in junior and collegiate play, and the U.S. Amateur will be more of the same. "The atmosphere will be a lot heavier because of the stage and everything," says Wu. "I'm guessing on the first tee I'll have a little bit of nerves. But hopefully I've had enough tournament experience that I won't be overwhelmed and that it means I have the game to play against all the other best players in the country. Hopefully, this tournament will show that." Wu finished second in sectional qualifying at Eagle Point Golf Course in mid-July to earn a berth in the U.S. Amateur. He was 1 under par for 36 holes, nabbing the second of two spots for advancement. Conner Kumpula of Albany was first with a 5-under 139. Wu was striking the ball well to that point, he says, but that consistency waned in the ensuing weeks. At the Pacific Coast Amateur at Eugene Country Club two weeks ago, he tied for 20th place — along with Rogue River's Kevin Murphy — but had his worst score in the last of four rounds, a 75, and wound up 8 over for the tournament. "I wasn't hitting the ball well but my short game saved me," says Wu, who had 29 or fewer putts each round and benefited from knowing his way around the course. The ball-striking issues continued a few days later when he opened play in the Western Amateur on Aug. 3. He was 7 over in the first round at Rich Harvest Farms, and followed that 79 the next day with a 74, missing the cut. Wu took advantage of the extra time off by hooking up with his Northwestern coach, Pat Goss, and working with him at Conway Farms Golf Club in Lake Forest, Ill. The club is one of Northwestern's home courses and hosts the BMW Championship on the PGA Tour. Goss is a well-regarded teacher as well as the Wildcats' coach. He works frequently with former Northwestern and current PGA star Luke Donald and was doing so when Wu visited. After Wu got a couple hours of Goss' time, the latter turned his attention to Donald. Wu watched them work, joined them for lunch and flew home that afternoon. Wu and Goss worked on his driving. "I never really got comfortable at the Western," says Wu. "If I'm driving the ball well, I usually give myself plenty of birdie chances, and I didn't drive the ball well. It was just a few ball-striking things with my driver. I felt a lot better after my lesson with my coach, and since I've been back, I've tried to work on it every single day. Just a lot of repetition on the range." The tweaks in his swing were small, he says, things he's worked on before. "I was glad to see my coach," says Wu. "He really helped me. It was pretty much immediate feedback and improvement." The day before he worked with Goss, Wu had the chance to play Olympia Fields. A former Northwestern teammate of his is a member of the club. They played the North Course, which is where match play will commence. Wu's confidence is up with his recent work, and it will need to be. Olympia Fields will play at about 7,300 yards with a par of 70. "That course is definitely tough," says Wu, who arrived in Illinois early Friday and has practice rounds Saturday and Sunday. "It'll be the toughest course I play the entire summer. There's not much room for error. Thick rough, fast greens. It's gonna be firm, and depending on the weather in Chicago, it could get really windy. It'll be a tough challenge for everybody, and a good experience." Wu is the first local golfer to qualify for the U.S. Amateur in six years. Mike Barry competed in 2008 and ‘09. Wu did play in the U.S. Junior Amateur just days before his 16th birthday in 2012, advancing to match play before being eliminated. He'd welcome similar success next week. "It's hard enough just to qualify," he says. "Now you have 312 players playing for 64 spots. I definitely just want to embrace the experience and give it my all. There's nothing really to lose. That's the game plan." Reach sports editor Tim Trower at 541-776-4479 or [email protected] By Tim Trower Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Tim Trower Mail Tribune Posted Aug. 14, 2015 @ 6:49 pm » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. fantasy football Fantasy Football 2015: Funniest Team Names and Mock Draft Strategy at Key Spots Aug. 16, 2015 at 7:00 am Fantasy Takeaways from Preseason Week 1 Aug. 16, 2015 at 1:54 am Charles, Reaves' Fantasy Outlook After Davis' Knee Injury Aug. 16, 2015 at 1:40 am Ellington, Williams' Post-Preseason Week 1 Fantasy Advice Aug. 16, 2015 at 1:34 am Fantasy Football Mock Draft and Top Team Names Aug. 15, 2015 at 2:00 pm Projecting Top DraftKings Performers at TE Aug. 15, 2015 at 8:00 am calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Propel Marketing Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Mobile Site Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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