Jordan

Niebrugge

Niebrugge recently inked a contract with TaylorMade and will put that equipment to use this week at Congressional Country Club. The 22-year-old is a two-time Walker Cup participant and recently won the Big 12 Men’s Golf Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The Oklahoma State Cowboy also entered the final round of last year’s Open Championship just three off the lead and finished T6 to secure low amateur honors. Expect to see a lot of Niebrugge over the next two months as he makes a push for his PGA TOUR card. For gamers, that means you can take the wait-and-see approach this week, and invest during his next start, if you like what you see.

The Oklahoma State product is 0-for-3 since joining the professional ranks. All six of his rounds have been over par. The two-time Walker Cup participant certainly has the pedigree but he’s yet to show it in 2016. Niebrugge is still best known for his T6 finish at the 2015 Open Championship. Gamers looking for a sleeper pick that may be off the radar should give the youngster a look as he celebrates his 23rd birthday on Thursday.

The 23-year-old from Mequon, Wisconsin, will feel very comfortable this week, being a mere 3-hour drive from home. Over the years at TPC Deere Run, we’ve seen Midwesterners thrive at this event, and Niebrugge was no exception in his 2014 debut, rattling off a T27 finish as an amateur. The transition to pro life has not gone so smoothly, however, as he’s 0-for-4 on the season since making the jump. Some home cooking this week could be the perfect cure to kick-start his pro career.

The Oklahoma State standout made a big splash during the 2015 Open Championship, recording a T6 finish while playing as an amateur. Last year, he couldn’t recreate the success, going 0-for-6 on the PGA TOUR. This week he joins the likes of other sub-25-year-old prospects Beau Hossler, Curtis Luck, and Robby Shelton, all receiving sponsor invites this week. While he is just 1-for-2 on the Web.com Tour this season, he just finished T3 at last week’s Mackenzie Tour Q-School, locking up some status north of the border. The pedigree is there for Niebrugge, but gamers should probably take the wait-and-see approach before investing.

Niebrugge was slow of the gate with four bogeys and two birdies in his opening 18 holes. From there he played bogey-free golf while circling four more birdies to climb back into ticket-earning territory. After a stellar T6 in the 2015 Open Championship, the youngster has had a tough time on the big stage (0-for-7 since). Perhaps a home game will be the perfect remedy as the Mequon native will be just 30 minutes from home when he takes on Erin Hills in two weeks. Notables to fall shy at this section include: 145- Robbie Shelton; 149- Lee McCoy

The amateur had our attention on Thursday when he opened with 67 as well, but he back-pedaled with a 73 in the disrupted second round. Today, he landed 17 greens in regulation and erased a lone bogey at The Road Hole with six birdies. The race to the top of the leaderboard has resembled the opening of the doors for Running of the Brides at Filene’s Basement today, but it must be remembered that there’s still one round remaining on Monday. Still, Niebrugge is helping trigger memories of Bobby Jones, who was the last amateur to win The Open in 1930. It was the second leg of the Hall of Famer’s unique Grand Slam that included two amateur titles.

Gotta hand it to the 21-year-old from Oklahoma State University. He didn’t waver when the spotlight was at its brightest this week. Niebrugge closed with four birdies against two late bogeys before checking up four stroke off Zach Johnson’s 72-hole clubhouse lead. Needless to say, keep an eye on him even though he’s 125th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. Nothing replaces the experience he filed away at St. Andrews. You’ll also see him at Royal Troon next year. The top 10 and ties today are exempt into the 2016 Open Championship. Here are the others (including all already previously eligible to compete): Winnner--Zach Johnson ... P2--Marc Leishman; Louis Oosthuizen ... T4--Jason Day; Jordan Spieth ... T6--Sergio Garcia; Justin Rose; Danny Willett ... T10--Brooks Koepka.

The 21-year-old amateur earned his exemption at Final Qualifying on June 30. He’s made it count early. Niebrugge totaled 14 greens in regulation and circled seven birdies to help offset two bogeys. He walked off with a 3 at the par-4 18th to land one stroke off the clubhouse lead. Assuming he doesn’t turn pro before the fall term, he’ll be entering his senior season at Oklahoma State University. He started this week slotted 125th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking.

The 2013 U.S. Amateur Public Links champ shared medalist honors with Scott Arnold (68-73=141) and Pelle Edberg (70-71=141). Niebrugge missed the cut at the Masters last year, but went on to place T27 at the John Deere Classic. He recently completed his junior year at Oklahoma State University. Edberg is a veteran of two Opens, including a T12 at Carnoustie in 2007. Arnold will be making his major debut at St. Andrews in two weeks. Notables that failed to qualify at this site today include: 144--European Tour winners Tom Lewis and John Parry ... 146--2013 U.S. Amateur champ Matthew Fitzpatrick ... 150--European Tour winner Scott Drummond.

Niebrugge is highly credentialed as a rising junior at Oklahoma State, named Golf Coaches Association of America 2013-14 Honorable Mention. He currently resides in the sixth spot in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. This tournament has a long history on providing highly-touted amateurs with big breaks, both before and after they turn professional.