WILLIAMSBURG, Va. ? UNC Greensboro men’s golf coach Terrance Stewart shot a final round 69 to earn a spot in the USGA’s United States Amateur Championship during sectional qualifying at Two Rivers CC on Tuesday.
Arthur Zelmati , 21, of New York, N.Y., shot 6-under-par 138 to earn medalist honors in U.S. Amateur Championship 36-hole sectional qualifying at Two Rivers (6,868 yards, par 36-36?72). Zelmati followed his first day best 6-under-par round of 66 with even-par 72 on day two of qualifying.
Stewart, 37, of High Point, N.C., the head shot 5-under 139 (70-69) and secured the other available spot in qualifying for the national championship. Stewart posted one of two rounds in the 60s on the second day. He birdied five of the last seven holes to card his final round 69 and earn a spot in the national tournament.
Scheduled from Aug. 24-30 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla., the U.S. Amateur Championship is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the USGA, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs. The tournament dates back to the 1890’s.
The Amateur Championship is the oldest golf championship in this country ? one day older than the U.S. Open. Except for an eight-year period, from 1965-72, when it was stroke play, the Amateur has been a match-play championship.
Over the years, as interest in the game grew and the number of quality players increased, it became necessary to establish a national handicapping system to determine who was eligible to compete in the Amateur. The USGA’s first national handicap list, which was published for the 1912 Championship, was the forerunner of the present-day USGA Golf Handicap System.
Throughout its history, the U.S. Amateur has been the most coveted of all amateur titles. Many of the great names of professional golf, such as Gene Littler, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Lanny Wadkins, Craig Stadler, Jerry Pate, Mark O’Meara, Hal Sutton, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, grace the Havemeyer Cup.
It was, however, longtime amateur Robert T. Jones Jr., who first attracted media coverage and spectator attendance at the Amateur Championship. Jones captured the championship five times (1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1930). His 1930 victory was a stunning moment in golf history when, at Merion Cricket Club in Ardmore, Pa., Jones rounded out the Grand Slam, winning the four major American and British championships in one year.
Altogether, there were eight subpar rounds by the 46 competitors on the final day of qualifying.
AGATE
Arthur Zelmati (New York, N.Y.), 66-72?138 Terrance Stewart (High Point, N.C.), 70-69?139 a ? Joseph Rice (Dunkirk, Md.), 69-71?140 a ? Douglas Hurson (Bethesda, Md.), 69-71?140 Tripp Brizendine (Morrisville, N.C.), 67-74?141 Sam Beach (Glen Allen, Va.), 69-73?142 Garland Green (Tazewell, Va.), 68-74?142 Scott Saal (Virginia Beach, Va.), 72-71?143 Michael Taylor (Ashland, Va.), 71-72?143 Charlie Gross (Raleigh, N.C.), 71-73?144 Adam Ball (Richmond, Va.), 71-73?144 Seth Norman (Norfolk, Va.), 73-71?144 Royce Kim (Yorktown, Va.), 71-74?145 Bryan Giles (Williamsburg, Va.), 71-74?145 Nick Austin (Midlothian, Va.), 74-71?145 Mark Teachey (Richmond, Va.), 75-70?145 Jason Robertson (Virginia Beach, Va.), 71-75?146 Ross Sumner (Callao, Va.), 72-75?147 Brent Martin (La Plata, Md.), 72-75?147 Mitch Wyatt (Salisbury, N.C.), 72-75?147 Wade Wawner (Virginia Beach, Va.), 75-73?148 Matthew Ball Jr. (Richmond, Va.), 72-76?148 Matthew Neely (Montpelier, Va.), 72-76?148 Garrison Fowler (Williamsburg, Va.), 77-72?149 Vincent Nadeau (Penhook, Va.), 73-76?149 Joseph Morton (Virginia Beach, Va.), 70-79?149 Michael Shrader (Midlothian, Va.), 71-79?150 Mike Redwood (Virginia Beach, Va.), 74-76?150 Mitch Bagley (Midlothian, Va.), 77-74?151 Austin Gray (Midlothian, Va.), 76-75?151 Chris Olson (Midlothian, Va.), 85-68?153 Brandon Baker (Virginia Beach, Va.), 76-77?153 Jeremy Wells (Hopewell, Va.), 79-76?155 Dennis Vasapoli (Falls Church, Va.), 77-80?157 Matt Brantingham (Richmond, Va.), 82-75?157 Joe Lefavor (Crownsville, Md.), 79-79?158 Gregory Reno (Newport News, Va.), 78-81?159 Kent Ryu (Virginia Beach, Va.), 83-78?161 Britt Parnell (Midlothian, Va.), 82-79?161 Kenneth Bartlett (Smithfield, Va.), 82-79?161 Aaron Eckstein (Salem, Va.), 82-79?161 Joseph Suarez (Richmond, Va.), 83-79?162 Joseph Mullen (Wake Forest, N.C.), 85-79?164 Rich Couture (Chesapeake, Va.), 81-85?166 Justin Roberto (Williamsburg, Va.), 85-85?170 Scott Anderson (Leesburg, Va.), 90-82?172 Keith Decker (Martinsville, Va.), 72-WD Allen Barber (Yorktown, Va.), 75-WD Charles E. Green III (Tazewell, Va.), 79-WD Bryce Chalkey (Richmond, Va.), WD Ryan McFarland (Leesburg, Va.), WD Gary Stewart (York, Pa.), WD Andrew Northcott (Williamsburg, Va.), DNS Timmy Osterbind (Midlothian, Va.), DNS Brendan Flatley (Virginia Beach, Va.), 76-WD Forrest Shuford IV (Williamsburg, Va.), 75-NC