"IF YOU LIKE GOLF"
weekly online golf column
by
Chris Dortch

June 17, 2003

A couple of days after the most exciting week of his life, things were back to normal for Luke List. How does one come down from the thrill of competing in the U.S. Open? You go back to work, that’s how.

That’s why List—the former Baylor star and future Vanderbilt player—was at Black Creek on Tuesday. After a couple of days off upon his return from Chicago and Olympia Fields, he was taking on girlfriend May Wood in a chipping contest and playing 18 holes, but don’t call it a casual round. List doesn’t plan on resting on his laurels.

"In some ways, I need to kind of act like it didn’t happen," List said of his Open experience. "I’ll remember it for the rest of my life, but now I’ve got to get back to the real world and practice."

To say the least, the U.S. Open was enlightening for List, who confesses to zoning out on his opening hole on Thursday.

"I remember hearing my name being announced," List said. "That’s about it. I was so nervous, I was almost shaking."

Obviously, List had never before played in front of galleries the likes of which turn up at the U.S. Open. But he got used to all the attention, in fact had a little fun with it. During a Wednesday practice round, he hit a drive into the trees on the ninth hole, and was encouraged by a vocal group of fans to have a bash at it.

"They were yelling, ‘Hit it,’ " List said. "It was a tough shot—about 210 yards and I had tree trouble and there was water in front of the green. But I went for it. I hit a low cut that cleared the water by five feet and ran up on the green. The fans went crazy."

List said the fans were also appreciative during his final nine holes, during which he shot a 1-under-par 35.

"That was a lot of fun," List said. "I hit every green and eight fairways. And I was hitting some pretty good putts, but just couldn’t get a couple of them to drop. It could have been a 31, 32 easily."

List missed the cut after a 75 on Thursday and a 74 on Friday, but there’s no measuring the benefit to his game. No other tournament can compare to the Open. In the heat of future competition, List can always conjure up positive mental images from shooting under par for nine holes at the U.S. Open.

List also got the benefit of watching a couple of solid, successful pros, Bob Estes and Billy Andrade, who were his playing partners both days.

"I studied them, how they handled things," List said. "They were both great guys. They kept telling me they couldn’t believe I was just 18. They told me to have a good time."

List got the same advice from pro Jerry Kelly, with whom he played a short practice round the Sunday before the tournament.

"He said to have fun," List said, "because this will be my job some day. He said to just enjoy the experience [without a paycheck being on the line]. I thought it was nice of him to say that."

Qualifying for the Open came with some other, more immediate benefits, perks that will add to List’s tournament schedule this summer. He’s exempt into two more USGA events, the U.S. Public Links and the U.S. Amateur. The Publinx will be played in mid July at Blue Heron Pines Golf Club in Galloway, N.J. A month later, List gets to tee it up in the Amateur on some hallowed ground—Oakmont, which has played host to seven U.S. Opens.

List will play a full load of other top amateur tournaments as well. He’s scheduled to compete in the Dogwood Invitational, the North and South and the Western. An invitational to the Porter Cup is possible.

That schedule will just about take him into his freshman year at Vanderbilt. Despite his recent exploits, his plans to stay four years in Nashville haven’t changed a bit.

"This won’t change anything," said List, who will join Wood, who was a major contributor for Vanderbilt’s women’s team as a freshman. "I mean, something drastic would have to happen, like me winning the U.S. Amateur, for me to even think about leaving school early. Vanderbilt’s a great school, and I’ll get four years to make some solid developments on my game."

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