His red “Wisconsin Badgers” bag was flimsy and weathered compared with the sturdy leather carriers belonging to his competitors. But his slacks were creased and cuffed and he brought a game to match the pros, too.
Jon Turcott, the junior who is UW’s No. 1 golfer, shot a three-under 68 Sunday to finish the Greater Milwaukee Open six strokes under par. The final-round total was good enough to match the tournament winner, PGA veteran Jeff Sluman who ran away with a four-stroke victory. Tim Herron, the professional golfer Turcott resembles most, tied for second at 19-under.
“I played pretty well for my standards,” Turcott said. “This is the highest achievement I can imagine — making a tour cut.”
Turcott is the first amateur to make the Saturday cut since 1969, the same year the tournament began in its current form. An opening-round 66 put him in safe position to stay alive for the weekend.
Then Sunday, Turcott followed the frustration of back-to-back rounds in the 70s by playing under par on the final day, Turcott’s fortitude impressed Bo Van Pelt and Paul Goydos, the players who shared his grouping Sunday. The buzz among spectators and caddies during his final round focused on his poise and patience.
“He’s going to be a good one,” said Goydos’ caddy, Brendan Wooley. “Jon’s got a head on his shoulders.”
Turcott said it was nice to see the players treat him respectfully. “Good ball, Jon!” Van Pelt cried after seeing Turcott step up to the tee at No. 12 and, without so much as a practice swing, crush the ball past his own.
Van Pelt, who is 27, shared stories and advice with Turcott all day, including barbs about his own college days, but the conversation cooled toward the middle of the round as the two competed to win the grouping.
After Van Pelt just missed an eagle on the par-5 18th hole, which the group was playing as the ninth, an enthusiastic crowd watched Turcott raise his putter to follow the line of an incredible downhill birdie.
The putts put each player at minus-7 heading to the front nine, where Turcott took a temporary lead when Van Pelt shanked his approach short and left at No. 1.
The talented Van Pelt quickly turned his game on, chewing up the last seven holes for a 63 — the day?s low round and matching the Open?s best — and ending the tournament 11 under par.
Goydos, who struggled most of the afternoon, finished 2 under par for the tournament.
That did not stop Goydos, a slope-shouldered turtle of a man, from turning in mock anger and exclaiming, “Come on!” as Van Pelt drilled his second shot from 174 yards out at No. 8 to punctuate a stellar round. With rounds in the low 60s Thursday and Friday, Van Pelt’s eagle would have put him in contention heading to the final hole if not for a third-round 78 that placed him in the early grouping with Goydos and Turcott.
But Van Pelt did not have a food science final exam to think about.
Turcott said he had an all-nighter in store after sticking around to watch Sluman finish. He had not cracked a book all week for his summer-session class that wrapped up Monday morning.
Study habits aside, Turcott showed his age between shots.
During a backup on the sixth hole, he and his caddy discussed the leaders. “Lowww-ery,” Turcott said, referring to Steve Lowery but imitating Martin Lawrence’s character in the movie “Bad Boys.” He then took the Bucky Badger headcover off his three-wood and knocked his second shot onto the green at the 556-yard par 5.
Van Pelt’s play Sunday elevated him to 27th place and $22,010 of the purse. Turcott, who said he paid $400 just to enter as an amateur, could not accept his $6,944 for finishing 56th.
“At least I’ll take home the memories,” he said, adding that the finish would not spur him to leave school early. “This experience enough is just like those commercials. You know — priceless.”
