Flying Solo: Teen Qualifies For U.S. Four-Ball By Himself

When the United States Golf Association decided to swap out its long-running U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship for a national Four-Ball Championship, it surely did so figuring the event — and the qualification process — would showcase the top two-person teams across the country.

Brent Grant of Hawaii, however, went against convention this past week by shooting a 9-under 63 to qualify for the inaugural event by himself.

For those unaware, four-ball competition joins two players, both of whom play their own ball. The team’s best individual score for each hole is then recorded as its score, meaning Grant’s solo effort bested the combined efforts of all other teams in the sectional qualifier.

A bogey-free, 9-under-par 63 from Brent Grant earns a spot in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. http://t.co/RjN4ilvW9a pic.twitter.com/HT2Id2QCbp

— USGA (@USGA) November 15, 2014

Grant ended up playing by himself during the qualifier because his registered partner, Bill Walbert, a physician’s assistant, was called into surgery. And, through 35 sectional qualifiers so far, Grant is the first to reach the championship flying solo.

With that, of course, Walbert is the first player to qualify for the event without even hitting a shot.

The inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship takes place May 2-6 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.