Jensen Castle (USGA Photo)
Jensen Castle had a great run at the U.S. Women’s Amateur Championship but was sure it was over when Rachel Heck, the No. 2 amateur in the world and current NCAA champion, had a four-foot par putt on 18 Saturday to eliminate her.
“I couldn’t believe she missed it on 18. When I knew she gave me that opportunity I was like, ‘All right, I birdied this earlier, I’m going to I birdie this again,’ and I went after it. Knew the same wind direction and everything,” said Castle.
The playoff started on the short par-4 10th hole. Castle nearly drove the green but left her chip shot about 20 feet short. No problem. She buried the birdie putt and then Heck’s 15-foot putt to extend the match lipped out.
Castle becomes the first UK golfer ever to reach the U.S. Amateur championship match and will face Arizona’s Vivian Hou in a 36-hole match Sunday at Westchester Country Club’s West Course (par 72, 6,488 yards) in Rye, New York. The match begins at 8 a.m. and Golf Channel will have live coverage starting at 2 p.m.
Castle had to win two of the final three holes to get into the playoff but was brilliant. After a bogey on the first half, she had five birdies and 13 pars the rest of the way to beat Heck, who swept all the major collegiate golf awards during her freshman year at Stanford last season.
Jensen said the match was a “blur” but knew both players played amazing.
“It was great. I had so much fun with Rachel, and I knew whenever I saw the pairings yesterday I’m like, no matter what, whoever wins the match is going to be good and we’re going to have fun no matter what, and that’s what we did,” Castle said. “We had so much fun. We laughed and that’s how golf should be. Especially girls’ golf.”
Heck said the two friends talked before the round that they were going to have a “good match” and have fun.
“We were going to make birdies, we were going to hit good shots,” Heck said. “During the match I hope people could see how much fun we were having. We’re good friends and we know what’s important.”
Castle seldom smiles on the course and didn’t when she made what turned out to be the winning putt. However, her business-like approach does not mean she does not have fun.
“If this is going to be your job one day you want this to be fun. Most of the matches I’ve played this week was like that. Got to have fun,” ‘Castle said.
Remember Castle had been injured, missed several summer tournaments and got cleared to play only a few days for the Amateur started. She had to survive a 12-player playoff to get into match play and knocked off the tourney’s No. 2 seed in her first match.
She didn’t bring clothes for a week and had a hotel reservation for only three days. She’s had to find new lodging and said Friday she had been sleeping on an air mattress.
“Last night I got a twin size. I slept good,” Castle said after Saturday’s win.
However, she never wavered in her belief that she could win.
“I find one of the strengths in match play you is always expect the best, so the whole day I expected the best from her. Every birdie putt she had I’m like, she’s going to make this so I need to make this,” Castle, who had to birdie two holes on the back nine to keep from losing the hole, said.
“So when that happens and she doesn’t make it, then you’re like, Okay, I won it because I already made it or you’re just shocked. Just gives you another opportunity. It’s a good way to look at it in match play.”
Castle also noted sees were “irrelevant” once match play started.
“I’m just glad that the doctor said I could play,” Castle admitted.
Castle got into this year’s U.S. Women’s Open in California thanks to a 36-hole qualifier but now is automatically qualified for the 2022 Women’s Open in North Carolina — which is close to home in Columbia, S.C.
The focus now is on Hou, the 2020 collegiate freshman of the year at Arizona.
“I’m going to get some food. I’m hungry. It’s another match. Fairways, greens. I don’t know how she played. I don’t care. It’s my own game. It’s match play. It’s anyone’s game. You get lucky and it is what it is. Whatever has happened it’s meant to be,” Castle said when asked about Sunday’s match.
