Oklahoma State University Athletics
Cowboy Golfer Falls in Championship Match at U.S. Amateur
August 25, 2002 | Cowboy Golf
Aug. 25, 2002
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. - Oklahoma State golfer Hunter Mahan's quest to join Tiger Woods in the history books came up just short on Sunday with Mahan suffering a 2-and-1 loss to Arizona's Ricky Barnes in the 36-hole final of the U.S. Amateur at Oakland Hills Country Club.
With a win over Barnes, the Cowboy junior would have joined Woods as the only players to ever win a U.S. Junior and U.S. Amateur title.
During the morning round, Mahan broke out in front with a birdie at the par-5 second before giving the advantage back on the fourth hole with a bogey. The McKinney, Texas, native recorded another birdie on the fifth to regain the lead before Barnes won Nos. 7 and 8 to make the turn with a 1-up lead.
Mahan battled back, carding birdies on two of the next three holes to climb back into the lead. However, Barnes won the final three holes of the opening round for a 2-up advantage at the midway point of the match.
Barnes built the lead to four with 10 holes remaining before Mahan began to chip away. The 2002 first-team All-American parred the 10th before draining a 50-foot, winding eagle putt on the par-5 12th to cut the deficit in half.
After a birdie by Barnes at the 13th pushed the margin back to three, Mahan sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the 15th to get back within 2, but could get no closer as the duo halved Nos. 16 and 17 to close out the match.
WIth his berth in Sunday's title match, Mahan earned an invitation to the 2003 Masters next April.
