Parziale ties for low amateur with fatherly guidance on bag

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. » Leaning on his club, Matt Parziale crossed one leg over the other and placed the free hand on his hip. His caddie mirrored his position and used Parziale’s bag as his source of support. The two looked almost identical, just one older than the other. Being related will do that. Parziale’s dad, Vic Parziale, has been with his son throughout his entire U.S. Open journey, starting Monday and ending Father’s Day. Matt finished 5 over par Sunday to tie for low amateur at 16 over for the tournament.

“We do stand alike out there,” Vic said. “It’s funny.”

Said Matt: “I don’t like it, but that’s how life goes.”

He’s kidding. The idea of turning into his dad doesn’t scare him.

“He’s the best guy I know,” Matt said. “If I can be half that good, I’ll be doing all right.”

It’s a classic like father, like son relationship.

Matt, 31, is a full-time firefighter back home in Brockton, Massachusetts. Vic retired from the same station last year after 32 years.

The two, obviously, also share a love for golf.

“He stinks now,” Matt said. “I’d have to play pretty bad to let him win. He used to be much better than he is now.”

Matt says he was 14 the first time he beat his dad. Vic says his son was 15. Either way, once Matt beat Vic’s 73 by a stroke as a teenager, it was game over.

Vic never beat his son again.

“Golf skipped a generation for sure,” Vic said. “Because I don’t play like him.”

As the first mid-amateur to make a cut at the U.S. Open in 15 years, Matt’s second round was his best, carding a 73 with a birdie on No. 18 that guaranteed him a spot in the final rounds.

On the last day, Matt shot a 75 to end up at 296, the same mark fellow amateur Luis Gagne scored.