NEWPORT BEACH, Calif. (Sept. 18, 2014) — Patrick Tallent of Vienna, Va. is the 2014 U.S. Senior Amateur champion, defeating Bryan Norton of Mission Hills, Kan. 2-and-1 in a thrilling 18-hole final at Big Canyon Country Club.
Tallent, 61, worked the front nine, capping it off with a 12-foot birdie putt at the ninth to move to four-up over Norton. But Norton got his chance to start a comeback when Tallent missed the green on the par-four 11th. Norton hit his approach shot to five feet and needed to make the putt because Tallent saved par.
After making the five-footer, Norton cut the lead to two-down with a par on the 12th after Tallent missed the green again and made bogey.
Norton made another birdie on 14 to get as close to Tallent as he had been since the second hole — one-down. Tallent fought right back with a birdie on the par-three 15th and the two both bogeyed the 16th to send the match to dormie.
Tallent safely played his approach to the center of the green on 17 while Norton took a more aggressive line over the guarding bunker. Norton was never able to attempt his six-footer for birdie as Tallent sank his lengthy birdie try from 30 feet to close out the match.
Tallent’s win will feel good considering his runner-up finish at the 2010 U.S. Senior Amateur. In the semifinals, Tallent defeated Rick Cloninger of Fort Mill, S.C., 3 and 1, while Norton advanced with a 2-and-1 win over 2011 U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Randal Lewis.
This was the second runner-up finish for Norton in a USGA event as he came close at the 2003 U.S. Mid-Amateur, losing to perennial mid-amateur player Nathan Smith.
