▁team ▁competition . ▁For ▁the ▁first ▁time ▁he ▁met ▁c ous ins ▁of ▁his ▁who ▁lived ▁in ▁the ▁city , ▁and ▁said : ▁" It ▁was ▁absolutely ▁un bel iev able . ▁It ▁could ▁not ▁have ▁been ▁more ▁special . ▁I ▁gave ▁them ▁one ▁of ▁my ▁gold ▁med als ." ▁ ▁U . S . ▁career ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 4 , ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 8 , ▁he ▁was ▁a ▁semif inal ist ▁at ▁the ▁Wisconsin ▁State ▁G olf ▁Association ▁Match ▁Play ▁Championship . ▁ ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁he ▁and ▁former ▁high ▁school ▁team mate ▁Charlie ▁D els man ▁won ▁the ▁Wisconsin ▁State ▁G olf ▁Association ▁Best - B all ▁title . ▁In ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 5 ▁Wisconsin ▁State ▁G olf ▁Association ▁Match ▁Play ▁Championship ' s ▁last ▁match , ▁he ▁lost ▁ 3 ▁and ▁ 1 . ▁ ▁In ▁July ▁ 2 0 0 6 , ▁he ▁tied ▁for ▁fourth ▁with ▁a ▁ 2 8 9 ▁at ▁the ▁Wisconsin ▁ 1 0 5 th ▁State ▁Am ateur ▁Championship . ▁ ▁Mer kow ▁also ▁played ▁in ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁G olf ▁Association ▁U . S . ▁Am ateurs . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁he ▁played ▁at ▁the ▁ ▁Haz elt ine ▁National ▁G olf ▁Club ▁course ▁in ▁Minnesota , ▁with ▁his ▁ 7 1 ▁being ▁the ▁second - low est ▁score ▁in ▁the ▁ 3 1 2 - player ▁field ▁after ▁the ▁first ▁day ▁of ▁stroke ▁play . ▁He