By Cam Cole,
Vancouver Sun, June 23, 2009

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. -- At the precise moment when Nick Taylor stood on the podium to do his post-tournament interview as low amateur in the U.S. Open, the names immediately ahead of and behind him on the leaderboard were those of Vijay Singh and Adam Scott.

It was a good time to take a step back and enjoy the moment.

The 21-year-old from Ledgeview Golf Club in Abbotsford, via the University of Washington, was understandably disappointed with a pair of closing 75s to end his Open at eight-over-par, in a tie for 36th place.

But most everyone else backed up, too, as Bethpage Black finally showed its teeth, and meanwhile, Taylor got the feel of the big time, competing alongside certified big names Sean O'Hair and Rory McIlroy the last two days. It was clear from his words Monday morning that he had been taking it all in, the whole experience, and making mental notes.

"The last two rounds didn't go as I'd planned or hoped, but the whole thing was pretty awesome, to be low amateur," said Taylor, who justified his No. 1 world amateur ranking in the past five days.

"It seemed like about four weeks," he said. "I ran out of shirts. I need to do some laundry. It was long and it was gruelling, but everyone had it, and it's happened before and it's probably going to happen again, so it was a learning experience." Even a 75 Monday was hard-earned.

"Most of the tees were back," he said. "Actually the easy holes -- I should say the easier holes -- they put the tees up so it wasn't that big a deal, but on the tough holes all the tees were back and the wind was up so ... No. 7, [525 yards, par 4] I smoked driver, and smoked three-wood just to get on the green. It meant you had to hit perfect shots just to get on the greens and make pars.

"If this course was firm, it would have been scary how hard it would be."

On the whole, he said, the week couldn't help but add to his maturity level. His second-round 65 tied the lowest round ever shot by an amateur in a U.S. Open. He'd have earned $42,935 if he'd been able to accept prize money.

"I think it will mean a lot. To play that well the first two rounds, shoot a low number on a U.S. Open course, to play with Sean and Rory the last two rounds -- just watching Rory stripe the ball, and to watch the shots they hit -- it's got to help me a lot."

Taylor will return to the U of Washington for his senior year in the fall, but before then his summer shapes up like a professional's schedule -- with seven tournaments on his dance card including the U.S. Public Links, Canadian Open, Four Nations Cup and the Canadian Amateur.

"Nick's always been a good player, that's obvious, from being the No. 1 amateur in the world," said Calgary's Stephen Ames, who managed a 72 Monday to finish in a tie for 10th with Mike Weir and others. "It's nice for Canada. He has some learning to do, but apparently he's got an unbelievable short game."

ccole@vancouversun.com