Gordon Sargent’s Tap-In Putt on 18 Brings Back Memories of Joe Daley

Gordon Sargent’s putt that popped out of the hole on 18 at the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club yesterday brought back memories of Joe Daley, the Q School Competitor in 2000 that had the same situation cost him a PGA Tour Card.

Sargent is one of the hottest amateurs in today’s game and carries plenty of hype out of Vanderbilt University. For years, he will likely be a mainstay on leaderboards at PGA Tour events, but yesterday’s putt on 18 is one he’ll probably think about for a little while.

Sargent was tapping in a putt that was no more than four feet on 18 when it seemingly hit the top of the hole’s plastic insert and bounced back out, leaving him a few inches to clean up for bogey.

This happened to Gordon Sargent on 18. Imagine if it happened later today on a putt to win the U.S. Open.pic.twitter.com/NefFUXedIK

— Kyle Porter (@KylePorterCBS) June 18, 2023

He finished -1 for the day and +4 for the tournament, just one shot back of names like Hideki Matsuyama, Cameron Young, and Sam Burns.

The putt brought back memories of Joe Daley, who had an identical occurrence that cost him a PGA Tour Card.

At the 2000 Q-School Event, the top-36 finishers were to be awarded full status on the PGA Tour. Daley hit the putt, it popped out, and two days later, he finished just one stroke outside of the top 36, which eliminated him from contention. He had played 60 events on Tour in 1996 and 1998.

Daley said to the Post Gazette

“I rolled that putt so good. I wish I could roll every putt I ever had that good.”

He was unwilling to let that second of bad luck define his career.

Cover Image Via Twitter