Charlie Hughes of Langley, B.C. shot rounds of 71-70 to take Medalist honors at the U.S. Amateur qualifier held today at Aldarra Golf Club in Sammamish, Wash. Hughes secures himself a spot in the U.S. Amateur Championship, which will be held at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. on August 12-18.
Coming fresh off his victory last week at the BC Amateur Championship, Hughes, a recent graduate of the University of Washington, played steady golf on a day in which nobody in the field of 77 players broke par over the 36 holes.
The busy Hughes will also be playing in the Canadian Men's Amateur Championship, being held August 6-9 at Royal Colwood in Victoria, B.C.
Claiming the second qualifying spot is Seattle's Blake Snyder, who, after shooting a 5-over par 75 in the morning round, stormed back in the afternoon round with a 3-under par 67.
The Washington State Golf Association (WSGA) is the local representative of the USGA and conducted this qualifier for the U.S. Amateur Championship.
This year marks the 113th U.S. Amateur Championship, the oldest golf championship in the United States, being just one day older than the U.S. Open. Aside from an eight-year period when it was stroke play (1965-1972), the U.S. Amateur has been a match-play championship. The U.S. Amateur's storied history includes such past champions as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods, to name a few. Last year, Steven Fox of Hendersonville, Tenn. came from behind to defeat Michael Weaver of Fresno, Calif. on the 37th hole at Cherry Hills CC in Colorado.
The U.S. Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association (USGA), 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
