Charleston's John Duke Hudson Earns U.S. Amateur Spot
Charleston, S.C. ? Rising Sophomore John Duke Hudson (Sonora, Texas) finished third at sectional qualifying at Riverhill Country Club in Kerrville, Texas July 26-27 to earn a spot at the United States Amateur Championship to be held at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash. Aug. 23-29.
“I’m just looking forward to fulfilling a dream,” Hudson said. “All I can ask for is the opportunity, no matter what tournament it is.”
“Playing in the U.S. Amateur offers the best opportunities in the world. If you finish in the top one or two you can play in the Masters or the U.S. Open and that’s every amateur golfer’s dream.”
Hudson, who beat out 63 other golfers, fired a 71 and 68 in two rounds to go five-under par and take the third and final qualifying spot.
The U.S. Amateur is the largest amateur golf tournament in the country and features the top 188 players in the world.
“This is huge for our program. It gives us the opportunity to play on a national stage,” said Head Men’s Golf Coach Mark McEntire. It’s a nationally televised event on ESPN. It puts us with the top schools in the country. It’s proof that our program is moving in the right direction. Our players are competing with the top players in the country.”
Hudson played number one for the Cougars during his freshman year, and carried a 74.57 stroke average, competing in all 12 events.
Hudson is the first Cougar to qualify for the U.S. Amateur since Bruce McDonald in 2003. McDonald advanced to the match-play rounds. He played in the U.S. Amateur in 2002 as well, advancing to the round of 16.
Elon’s Goldstein Qualifies for U.S. Amateur
WEST NYACK, N.Y. -- Rising Elon junior Josh Goldstein has earned a qualifying spot in the 2010 U.S. Amateur which will be held August 23-29 at Chambers Bay Golf Course in University Place, Washington. Goldstein won the qualifying event held at the Manhattan Woods Golf Club in West Nyack, N.Y.
Goldstein fired a four-under 140 to win the qualifier by one stroke over John Murphy. In his second round, Goldstein carded a five-under 67 which included seven birdies.
Elon's John Somers is an alternate for the event after he carded a score of 142 in late July at the Old Chatham Golf Club in Durham, N.C.
The 2010 event will be the first championship for Chambers Bay, which will also host the 2015 U.S. Open. The course was built entirely on fescue grass and features exactly one tree on the entire layout. Created from a former gravel mine, the course features wide fairways, large dunes and was designed to play firm and fast.
Chambers Bay, University Place, Wash.
Yardage: 7,742 yards
Par: 36-35--71 or 37-34--71
Opened: 2007
Designer: Robert Trent Jones III
Second stroke-play course: The Home Course (Dupont, Wash.)
Yardage: 7,317 yards
Par: 36-36--72
2009 champion: Byeong-Hun An