Marcus Fraser admits Pebble Beach was on his bucket list, and the part-time touring professional from Melbourne is about to live the dream at the US Open.
Fraser made his way into his fourth US Open via qualifying at Walton Heath in England, an old favourite. But he was stunned that it happened at all having missed the cut “comfortably” in Belgium on the European Tour the week before.
“Given my current form, I didn’t think I had any hope whatsoever,” he told RSN’s breakfast program from London.
Fraser, who plays out of Peninsula Kingswood Country Golf Club, came home from Europe at the end of last year to settle back in Melbourne.
He said his putter had “covered up all the flaws in my game” at Walton Heath this week.
“It’s the one that saved my butt a few times in my career and it definitely proved that yesterday,” he said. “It was pretty hot.”
Fraser joins Aaron Baddeley, Brett Drewitt, Matt Jones, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Marc Leishman and Cam Smith in an eight-man Australian contingent. He will have close friend and golf-loving former AFL player Brendon Goddard on his bag next week at a venue he has long admired from afar.
“I’ve been lucky enough to play the Open championship at St Andrews a couple of times,” said Fraser. “I think playing the US Open at Pebble Beach has the same kind of ring to it. It’s going to be pretty special.”
Listen to the full interview here: