Michael McDermott wins third Philly Amateur title with dramatic finish
Michael McDermott had a death grip on his putter on the 18th green. One stroke separated him from his third Philadelphia Amateur title. Four holes earlier, McDermott had trailed by two.
Michael McDermott had a death grip on his putter on the 18th green. One stroke separated him from his third Philadelphia Amateur title. Four holes earlier, McDermott had trailed by two.
He had to step away from the ball to regroup.
The 41-year-old loosened his grip, putted - and nailed the three-footer at Merion Golf Club, his home course.
"There it is, it's right in front of you," McDermott said. "I was nervous."
But McDermott took home the 116th BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship by beating Jeff Osberg, 1-up, in the 36-hole final Saturday. With the title, McDermott is the eighth player in tournament history to win the championship for a third time.
Osberg, 31, won the title in 2014. The Huntingdon Valley Country Club member was the Golf Association of Philadelphia player of the year in 2015. The matchup created one of the most-anticipated finals in recent years.
"It's such a dream week and such a wild match," McDermott said.
After both players made it to the edge of the final green in 2 shots, Osberg's 40-foot chip was headed to the pin, but spun around the rim of the cup. McDermott called it "the greatest chip I've ever seen in my life," but Osberg finished in 4 shots.
Then McDermott attempted a 50-foot putt, which set up his three-footer for the win.
"Eighteen was one of those blackout moments," McDermott said, "where you just hope your technique can carry through."
Twenty minutes earlier, McDermott said, he thought he was "cooked." He trailed by two holes with four to play. But on the 15th green, his 8-year-old son, Brad, was standing directly behind where he was aiming on his birdie putt.
McDermott made the putt to cut the deficit to one.
"It was kind of the pivotal point in the match," Osberg said. " . . . He had a really good putt at the perfect time."
On 16, McDermott sat down next to Brad after he made his putt and waited for Osberg to hit. Osberg missed two putts, and McDermott patted his son on the back as he headed to the 17th tee. The match was all square with two to play.
McDermott took the lead on 17 and just needed to match Osberg on the final hole.
"Michael has that kind of flair for the dramatic," Osberg said.
When McDermott won his first title in 2008, Brad was just 3 months old and was small enough to sit on the trophy. Eight years later, the McDermott family got to celebrate again.