Oakmont Country Club

PITTSBURGH — After dropping four strokes in a four-hole stretch, Alex McCulla turned to his caddie, Tyler Bertram, as they walked to the tee box of a nearly 500-yard par-4 and gave Oakmont Country Club a well-deserved salute. “I told him this is when you take your hat off to the golf course,” McCulla said.…

PITTSBURGH — A “Tin Cup” moment led to the only visible eyesore on Alex McCulla’s scorecard Monday. Yet, it was the hole prior to catching a gust of wind that left him more disgusted. The Quincy golfer fired an even-par 70 in the opening round of the 121st U.S. Amateur at Longue Vue Club and…

QUINCY — Alex McCulla braced himself for sarcastic blowback from his father. Mike McCulla delivered on cue. In preparation to play in the 121st U.S. Amateur, which begins Monday at two courses near Pittsburgh, the younger McCulla decided to add two clubs to his bag — a 3-wood and a 5-wood — to help him…