Thomas Pfoestl Qualifies
for U.S. Junior Amateur
Bishops Gate Golf
Academy student
Thomas Pfoestl used
a 67 at Timacuan Golf
Club in Lake Mary,
Fla. to qualify for the
U.S. Junior Amateur.
Pfoestl credits his putting for his success at the
qualifier.
“I think my putting is saving me a lot, because my
ballstriking is not that great but I still hit 12 greens,”
said Pfoestl. “Every time I had an opportunity to
make birdie, I made it. I had six birdies and one
eagle. My coach, David, helped me line up everything
and I only had 23 putts.”
Pfoestl’s BGGA coach, David Louys-Moroney, was
alongside him every step today as his caddy and
provided some reassurance in his game.
“My mental state has been better,” said Pfoestl.
“David helped me stay in the present. He walked
with me the whole way and we talked the whole
time. I was 4 under after six holes and I made bogey,
double so I was a bit angry. David kept me in the
present and I kept going.”
Louys-Moroney agreed and said, “I made a yardage
book for Thomas and I think by having a little
bit more information he was able to commit to
the decisions a bit better. On the putting green,
I reassured the line and that helped with his
commitment as well. He putted well because of
that.”
Pfoestl has been playing well as of late. Last
week he finished T4 at the AJGA Gary Woodland
Championship.
“Thomas has come a long way,” said Louys-Moroney.
“He’s always had the potential to play good golf,
but he tends to self-sabotage too much. He tends
to focus too much on the negative when he doesn’t
hit a perfect shot. Today was about keeping him on
track and understanding that you don’t need to hit
perfect shots to play good golf.”
The day after Pfoestl qualified, another BGGA
student Teddy Tetak also shot a 5-under 67 at the
Longboat Key qualifier to punch his ticket to the U.S.
Junior Amateur.
The 2017 U.S. Junior Amateur will be played at Flint
Hills National Golf Club in Andover, Kan. from July
17-22.
The competitors play two rounds of stroke play
and then start the match play portion of the event.
The round of 32, quarterfinals, semifinals and
championship match will be televised on Fox Sports 1.