Voges’ Switch to Long Putter Helps Win U.S. Amateur Championship

Mitch Voges got a new putter last year. Now, he might have to get a new license plate.

Voges, whose California license reads “Lip Out,” displayed near-perfection from tee to green to beat Manny Zerman, 7 and 6, on Sunday and win the U.S. Amateur Championship.

“I’ve spent my whole career hitting good golf shots and never really making anything,” said Voges, who switched to a long-handled 48-inch putter last year. The new club has made a major difference in Voges’ game and helped him become, at age 41, the third oldest to win the national title.

Only Jack Westlend, who won in 1952 at age 47, and Harold Hilton, who won in 1911 at age 42, were older.

Ignited by a morning-round eagle-three at the 562-yard 11th hole, Voges made Zerman, 22, runner-up for the second year in a row. Zerman lost to Phil Mickelson, 5 and 4, in the 1990 title match.

Voges, director of golf at Spanish Hills Golf and Country Club in Simi Valley, was 4-up in the morning round of the 36-hole final, and he came out for the afternoon round with the idea of ending it early. He quickly dashed any comeback hopes by Zerman with birdies on each of the first four holes to go 7-up with 14 holes to go.