Devon Bling of Ridgecrest will carry the California flag into the 36-hole final of the 118th U.S. Amateur Championship against Viktor Hovland of Norway and Oklahoma State at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
The 18-year-old Bling (pictured), a sophomore at UCLA, had to go all the way to the iconic 18th hole at Pebble before his two-foot par putt turned back Pacific 12 Conference rival Isaiah Salinda of South San Francisco, 1 up, in the semifinals.
Hovland, seeded 29th, turned back stroke-play co-medalist Cole Hammer of Houston, 3 and 2, with a brilliant performance in the other semifinal.
“I definitely played very well,” said Bling, who finished 41st in stroke-play qualifying, after a two-foot birdie putt capped a round of 5-under-par 67, which included concessions. “I executed every shot the way I saw it in my mind. I like playing under pressure; I think in thrive on it.
“I’m going to approach the final the same way I have the last few days, just go out and execute, hit fairways and greens. I’m looking forward to it.”
Salinda, who won the Pacific Coast Amateur last month at Harding Park in San Francisco, never led in the match and was 2 down three times.
His clutch six-foot birdie putt to win the 16th hole pushed Bling all the way to the finish.
Hovland never trailed against Hammer, who also was 2 down early, but he got the match back to even after 12 holes. However, Hovland put things away by making six birdies in the last seven holes—including the last five in a row.
“To be honest, I wasn’t playing well this summer and felt my game was a little scrappy, but I got my irons going this week,” said Hovland, who helped Oklahoma State win the NCAA Championship in the spring. “I’d say this course fits my game, because if you hit the fairway you can putt the ball on the green and giver yourself chances.
“It’s going to be the same stuff tomorrow. I feel if I can keep giving myself chances and get a look at birdie every time, it will put some stress on my opponent over 36 holes.”
Said Hammer: “I thought I put up a good fight, but there’s not much you can do when the other guy makes six birdies in seven holes. I got it back to even a couple of times, but he was just too good today.”
The title match will tee off at 9:30 a.m. on Sunday.
For complete results visit http://www.usga.org/content/usga/home-page/championships/2018/u-s–amateur.html#!scoring
