One of 13 ams at U.S. Open
BREMERTON, Wash. (June 5, 2007)-- Redemption came for newly graduated University of Washington senior Alex Prugh after he shot a 71-69--140 at the Olympic Course of the Golf Mountin Golf Complex and earned as spot along with 10 other amateurs at the 2007 US Open, which will be held June 14-17 at the Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.
Prugh had previously qualified as an alternate in 2004, but never played a round.
The highlight of Prugh's round was holing out a gap-wedge for eagle on the par-4 fourteenth.
A list of the other amateur qualifiers follows:
Jason Kokrack - Warren, Ohio
Recent Xavier U. graduate tied for medalist at the Columbus No. 2 qualifier, gaining one of four available sites. Career highlights include a victory at the 2006 Ohio State Amateur.
Trip Kuehne - Dallas, Tex.
The 35-year-old lefty is one of the most well-known career amateurs currently playing. Three-time collegiate All-American at Oklahoma State University and one of few golfers of his caliber to forgo turning pro. Was runner-up at the 1994 U.S. Amateur to Tiger Woods. Now a hedge fund analyst in Dallas.
Pablo Martin – Malaga, Spain
First amateur in history to win European PGA event, taking this year’s Estoril Open de Portugal by a stroke. Two-time member of European Palmer Cup squad. Junior at Oklahoma State University. Will compete in this event as a pro, however, as he takes his first shot at the big boys at the Stanford St. Jude Championship in Memphis.
Rhys Davies - Wales
First team All-American at Eastern Tennessee, led country last year with 70.78 stroke average. Top qualifier at Rockville, Maryland site that saw three amateurs make the cut and two named as alternates.
Philip Pettitt Jr. - Mufreesboro, Tenn.
Junior was top golfer on University of Tennessee team with 72.25 scoring average. Career highlights include tie for first in Coca-Cola Tournament of Champions as a sophomore.
Martin Ureta – Santiago, Chile
Junior at the University of North Carolina. Played Oakmont at the 2003 U.S. Amateur as a college freshman. Twice took second at the prestigous Western Refining College All-America Golf Classic.
Richard Lee - Chandler, Ariz.
Long-hitting 16-year-old declared that he would turn pro as soon as he qualified for a pro event, and he made it into the US Open in the Southern California qualifier by shooting 4-under. He'll have to play this one as an amateur, however, since he passed the local qualifier on an exemption gained from his '06 US Junior Am performance.
Mark Havrell - Hazlehurst, Ga.
University of Alabama Junior finished third at Jerry Pate National in 2005 and competed in the 2004 U.S. Amateur.
Jeff Golden - Winter Park, Fla.
Recent graduate of Division II Rollins College in his hometown of Winter Park. Finished eighth in D-II South Region Tourney.
Chris Condello - Longwood, Fla.
Columbia junior won the Ivy League title and took first team All-Ivy League honors for the second year in a row. Participated in the 2006 U.S. Amateur.
*** Alternates ***
Jeffrey Koprivetz – Puebla West, Colo.
Played in only four tournaments as a sophomore at Denver University but had his score count in all of them.
Mark Elliott - Silver Lake, Kansas
Former Kansas State golf coach who was the first to bring his school to post-season play
Luke List - Ringold, Ga.
Tied with Philip Pettitt and Martin Ureta with 140 at the Maryland qualifier, he was the odd man out.
Jonathan Moore - Vancouver, Wash.
Oklahoma State University sophomore was 2006 NCAA champion as a redshirt freshman, but fell just short in Maryland qualifier
Hudson Swafford - Tallahassee, Fla.
University of Georgia golfer won the 2006 Dogwood Invitational and qualified for the U.S. Amateur that same year.
*** Notables who failed to make the cut ***
Jamie Lovemark - Rancho Santa Fe, Calif.
Riding a hot streak that culminated with an NCAA Division I individual title and a slew of collegiate awards, Lovemark shot 147 at the Columbus No. 1 site, which was full of Tour players. He is still 2 for 2 in cuts made on the PGA Tour however, and although he won't be at Oakmont we expect to see him on the Walker Cup Team this year.
Phillip Francis - Scottsdale, Ariz
2006 US Junior Am champ missed by a narrow 2 shots in Memphis.
Buddy Marucci - Villanova, Penn.
2007 USA Walker Cup team captain didn't have his best stuff in Purchase, New York, where he shot 154
Jon McLean - Weston, Fla.
2006 amateurgolf.com-Bridgestone Player Rankings Florida State champion also stumbled in New York
Rickie Fowler - Murrieta, Calif.
High School senior, fresh off his second CIF Southern Section championship, missed by six strokes on his home course
***
ABOUT THE U.S. Open
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Open
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