Young kid bests world's No. 1 golfer Dustin Johnson in head-to-head challenge
He’s still a few years away from being ready to play on the PGA Tour, but it’s possible this won’t be the first time you read about golfer Oscar Murphy.
He’s only 13, but for one hole Thursday, he laid claim to bragging rights over the world’s top-ranked golfer.
Oscar won a local tournament and earned the right to take part in a Beat the Pro Challenge at Thursday’s opening round of the Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
He got to play the 177-yard, par-3 15th hole alongside Dustin Johnson, the No. 1-ranked golfer in the world, Rory McIlroy — Oscar’s golf idol — and European Tour champion Tommy Fleetwood.
With a throng of people watching in the gallery and on television, the teenager showed no signs of being nervous. In fact, his drive landed closer to the pin than those of Johnson and Fleetwood.
“It was unbelievable,” Oscar said on BBC Radio. “I got to walk up to the green with them and I was closer than Dustin Johnson and Tommy Fleetwood but Rory beat me to it.
“I just talked to them about my game and where I’m from — all to do with golf. [Rory] and Tommy Fleetwood said they wish they could hit my shot the way I did.”
It’s no fluke that Oscar won the right to compete in Thursday’s event. He’s already a 6 handicap, and his swing is as smooth as any you’ll see on the tour.
“I played a 3-wood off the front foot so I could get it a bit higher and land it softly,” the youngster said of his shot at 15. “It was a perfect strike.”
"I played it a bit off the front foot, hit a 3-wood and it was perfect." 😂
When 13 year olds do golf interviews… pic.twitter.com/nLiMmklW8L
— DP World Tour (@DPWorldTour) January 18, 2018
Fleetwood, who was tied for the first-round lead with a 6-under par 66, was among those impressed by the youngster.
“The pin was tucked on the right and he hit this 3-wood that just faded into the pin — unbelievable shot,” Fleetwood said. “Me and Rory both said we don’t even have that shot in our locker. We don’t have it.”
Oscar admitted he was a bit nervous as he was waiting to tee off.
“I was standing beside the tee box when they were teeing off and my legs were shaking,” he said.
Of the chance to play a hole with McIlroy, Johnson and Fleetwood, Oscar was pretty succinct.
“It was surreal. It was probably one of the best days of my life,” he said.
Oscar’s father hopes bigger things are yet to come in the golf world for his son.
“It’s very hard to explain the pride we as a family feel,” Damian Murphy said. “We’re so excited for Oscar. It’s his dream come true. Rory’s his hero and maybe this is just stage one of realizing his real dream.”
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