Update: Neal Shipley lost to Alabama’s Nick Dunlap, 4 and 3, in the 36-hole championship match.
The Ohio State golfer will still have the opportunity to play in The Masters and the U.S. Open in 2024 as a result of his runner-up finish, and he left the course Sunday with a positive outlook despite the final-round loss.
“I’m going to move on with a lot of confidence from this week,” Shipley said. “I feel super confident. I feel like every time I tee it up, I can win now.”
"It was a great week. I played great all day, but Nick was going to be hard to beat today regardless of who was playing him. I feel super confident that whenever I tee it up I can win now."@OhioStateMGOLF's Neal Shipley had an incredible week at Cherry Hills. #USAmateur pic.twitter.com/bHnoeekOe2
— USGA (@USGA) August 20, 2023
Ohio State’s Neal Shipley will play for the most prestigious title in amateur golf on Sunday.
Shipley advanced to the championship match of the U.S. Amateur with a comeback win over Auburn’s John Marshall Butler on Saturday. After falling into a three-hole deficit through the first 10 holes of Saturday’s semifinal match, Shipley proceeded to win five of the next seven holes, clinching the match with a tap-in birdie on the par-5 17th hole after a beautiful approach shot.
THE SHOT! THE SPIN! THE SHIP! @OhioStateMGOLF's Neal Shipley has punched his ticket to the #USAmateur championship match! pic.twitter.com/O9rX9VHn5X
— USGA (@USGA) August 19, 2023
Shipley’s comeback win sets up an Ohio State vs. Alabama matchup in the final, where Shipley will go head-to-head with Alabama’s Nick Dunlap over 36 holes. The 36-hole final begins at 9 a.m. Sunday, with television coverage beginning at 3 p.m. on Golf Channel and continuing at 4 p.m. on NBC.
If Shipley wins, he’ll become the third Buckeye to win the U.S. Amateur, joining Jack Nicklaus (who won the title in both 1959 and 1961) and John Cook (1978).
By making the final, Shipley has already punched his ticket to play in both The Masters and the U.S. Open in 2024, as both of those majors award invitations to both the winner and the runner-up of the U.S. Amateur.
A fifth-year senior, Shipley joined the Buckeyes last season as a graduate transfer from James Madison and was a PING All-America honorable mention after posting five top-20 finishes with a 72.72 scoring average. He has one more year of collegiate eligibility.
