SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. -- For Matt Parziale, the disappointment of missing the cut at the Masters was tempered by the knowledge that he would be teeing it up at the U.S. Open as well.
Perhaps that didn't seem so great, because the wind was howling off Long Island Sound on Thursday and one of the most penal of U.S. Open venues, Shinnecock Hills, does not care about feel-good amateur stories.
But Parziale, the reigning U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, has made the most of his two days here, birdieing the 18th hole Friday to finish at 7 over, one shot clear of the cut.
A firefighter from Brockton, Massachusetts, Parziale, 31,said he is enjoying the ride.
"I don't know why you wouldn't dream and try to do the best you can,'' Parziale said. "Anything is possible. The work you put in, and I'm proud of the work I put in. It's been up and down, but I've always enjoyed trying to get better.''
By winning the Mid-Am last year at Capital City Club near Atlanta, Parziale earned a trip to the Masters. For the first time this year, the Mid-Am champ also was eligible to compete in the U.S. Open. (He'll also play in the U.S. Amateur later this summer at Pebble Beach.)
Parziale opened the tournament Thursday in difficult, windy conditions by shooting 74, managing a single birdie against a double-bogey and three bogeys.
Still, with a scoring average for the day well above 76, Parziale had put himself in good position. And with calmer conditions Friday, he managed a 73 that featured just two birdies -- including the all-important one at the last hole that got him to 147, 7 over par.
"Golf's hard,'' he said. "I mean, this game is crazy. I'm happy with the way I played and looking forward to competing this weekend.
"I'm not big on expectations. I just try to go out there and get so into the process, and that's what I enjoy doing. The putt on 18, to have that go in. ... I stuck to my process, and I was fortunate to have that one fall on the last hole there.''
