Less than a day after leaving the U.S. Open with $15,651 in
earnings and a life’s worth of lessons, Erick Justesen was asked if
he ever pictured his PGA Tour debut playing out like it did last
week at Pebble Beach Golf Links, a course he caddied at while
growing up in Carmel.
”
Hell yeah,
”
the 2003 Live Oak High School alumnus said Monday.
”
I was a caddie at a young age, but I’ve been a golfer my whole
life. I was determined to get this far one day. This whole thing
just crossed paths with me.
”
PEBBLE BEACH
Less than a day after leaving the U.S. Open with $15,651 in earnings and a life’s worth of lessons, Erick Justesen was asked if he ever pictured his PGA Tour debut playing out like it did last week at Pebble Beach Golf Links, a course he caddied at while growing up in Carmel.
“Hell yeah,” the 2003 Live Oak High School alumnus said Monday. “I was a caddie at a young age, but I’ve been a golfer my whole life. I was determined to get this far one day. This whole thing just crossed paths with me.”
A trail of long shots behind him, Justesen, 25, was one of few players wearing a smile Sunday after a brutal final round brought many of the world’s best golfers to their knees. He had a slim chance of even making the Open, much less the cut after two rounds.
Justesen, who plays on the Canadian and Nationwide tours, tied for medalist honors in a local qualifier held May 10 at Bayonet Golf Course, where he played frequently during his college days at Cal State Monterey Bay before becoming a two-time All-American and 2008 national runner-up at Division II Cal State Stanislaus. He fired a 9-under-par 137 at Del Paso Country Club to win a sectional qualifier played in his hometown of Sacramento.
Keeping a cool head, he shot 3-over 74 in the first two rounds at Pebble Beach and advanced to the weekend’s final rounds, a major achievement alone. But Justesen “bit off more than he could chew” Saturday, playing more aggressively on the daunting seaside course.
“The feeling was good going in. I was getting the shots I needed early on and leaving a couple out there, but not too many,” Justesen said. “I started out good, but, when my aggressiveness stopped paying off, I got frustrated. My maturity got to me – and probably cost me some money.
“In the U.S. Open, you learn hard lessons quick. I was trying to pull off ridiculous shots when I should have played for par.”
That may have done wonders. The tournament’s trophy was not meant for the heavy favorites – Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson – or even the leader through 54 holes – upstart Dustin Johnson. Ultimately, the most even-keeled player reigned supreme. Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland finished with an even-par total of 284 to become the first European winner of the U.S. Open in 40 years.
“McDowell’s face said it all afterward. No emotion; it’s all about utter focus and who can minimize damage on those firm greens and narrow fairways,” Justesen said. “It was my first Open, and that’s what I took from it.”
Justesen found a happy medium between conservative and aggressive Sunday and shot a 73 for his best round of the tournament. He highlighted it with birdies on the par-4 15th and par-5 sixth, missing an 8-foot putt for eagle on the latter hole.
“I was just trying to play my game,” Justesen said. “Before the tournament, everyone asked me what my expectation was. You’re going to let yourself down quite a bit in golf, especially at the U.S. Open at Pebble; that’s the toughest major and the toughest course. There’s only so much you can control. All I expect from golf is to play the game I’m capable of.”
When it was over, a tired Justesen celebrated as best he could with his family and caddy Steve Planchon, a friend from college.
“I was exhausted, so we just had a few drinks and called it a night,” Justesen said. “We joked about how this is all kind of new to me. This is only my second year of pro golf. Some people dip their toe in the shallow end; I belly-flopped in the deep end.”
Justesen will try to earn his PGA Tour card when qualifying rounds – also known as Q-School – begin in the fall. He wants to compete in whatever PGA events he can, including the Oct. 21-25 Frys.com Open at CordeValle in San Martin.
