Golf: Tallent wins out

Four years ago Patrick Tallent watched Paul Simson jump out to an early lead in the finals of the 2010 U.S. Senior Championship and eventually win.

It was lesson the 61-year-old from Vienna, Va. learned and was able to apply in this year’s final against Bryan Norton. Tallent went 4 up through nine holes and held on to defeat Bryan Norton, 2 and 1 at the U.S. Senior Amateur at Big Canyon Country Club, Thursday.

“It’s a lot better to be the guy who is 4 up,” Tallent said.

It’s also better to be the guy holding the trophy after the match.

“This is spectacular,” Tallent said. “I never thought I would win one. When I was young and foolish I thought I would win one, but this is just great.”

Tallent had played in 26 USGA events without winning and wasn’t even sure he was going to make the match play in his 27th. Tallent barely made the match play, having to survive a 15 golfers for 13 spots playoff.

Once in the match play, though Tallent played well. He survived his first match, defeating Chip Lutz 1 up and then cruised, winning matches 4 and 3, 4 and 2, 6 and 5, and 3 and 1. He is believed to be the lowest seed (60th) to win the Senior Amateur.

In the finals Tallent got ahead quickly, winning two of the first 3 holes. On the first hole Norton three-putted for bogey and on the third hole, Tallent made a 5-foot birdie.

Tallent took No. 8 when Norton, who was playing in his first Senior Amateur, made bogey and No. 9 when Tallent made an 18-foot putt.

“It is especially in a short match like this,” Norton said. “There is more tension in a final than there is in some of the earlier matches. He was in a good spot early on.”

Norton, though fought back. He made a 5-foot birdie on the 11th hole and then got it to 1 up when Tallent made bogies on 12 and 15.

The very next hole Tallent could have hit his best shot of the tournament to swing the momentum back to his side.

“I had no pressure at all after I made that birdie at 9,” Tallent said. “Then we go to 15 and I’m only 1 up. Then I hit a great shot a utility club 208 into the wind. I knew I was going to make that putt.”

The birdie gave Tallent a 2 up lead and a costly mistake by Norton on 16 cost him that match.

“I did a nice job fighting my way back,” Norton said. “When you do that you can’t make many mistakes and I didn’t on the back, but 16 was certainly a mistake.”

With Tallent in trouble off the tee on the Par 5, 546-yard hole, Norton hit the fairway with both his tee shot and lay up. With about 100 yards in, his approach hit to the right of the green and then spun back left and came to rest off the front of the green.

“I thought I hit a good shot but it came up short,” Norton said. “It wasn’t because I was tired it was just a mental error. That was a real gift to him.”

The hole was halved and Tallent only needed to tie the next two holes to win. He did better than that, sinking a 12-foot putt for birdie and the match.