U.S. Open: Profiles of the 11 Ams in the field

June 15, 2010 | by AmateurGolf.com Staff

2009 U.S. Amateur Champion Byeong-Hun An and runner-up Ben Martin join 9 qualifiers as a strong amateur field readies to tackle Pebble Beach

PEBBLE BEACH, CA (June 15, 2010)--Eleven are on the course competing in the 2010 U.S. Open, at Pebble Beach Golf Links.

Two of the amateurs--2009 U.S. Amateur Champion Byeong-Hun An and runner-up Ben Martin--were exempt from qualifying for the championship. An additional nine players advanced through Sectional Qualifying, which was held at fifteen sites: 12 in the U.S., two in England and one in Japan.

To view a current leaderboard, click on the link at the bottom of the page and select the "amateur scores" clickbox.

The eleven players are:

	Byeong-Hun An, Bradenton, FL Became youngest player to win the U.S. Amateur title last August when he defeated Ben Martin in the championship match at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla. Broke record set just a year earlier by Danny Lee. Will attend the University of California-Berkeley this fall. Lowest competitive round is a 63 shot in the 2008 Dixie Amateur. Quaterfinalist at 2009 Western Amateur. AJGA First-Team All-American. Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Ranking: 8

	Bennett Blakeman, Burr Ridge, IL Qualified at Woodstock, Ill., sectional, shooting 67-71 at Bull Valley Country Club to earn medalist honors. Graduated from Illinois Wesleyan in 2009. Pursuing a master's degree at Loyola of Chicago. Claimed College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin title in 2009 and tied for eighth at NCAA Division III Championship. Registered three college wins in 2009. First-team NCAA Division III All-American in 2009. Younger brother, Brentan, who plays at the University of Dayton, will serve as his caddie. Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Ranking: 345

	Joseph Bramlett, Saratoga, CA Qualified at Sacramento, Calif., qualifier, shooting 65-71 at Del Paso Country Club. Just finished collegiate career at Stanford University and graduated on June 13. Youngest U.S. Amateur qualifier at the age of 14 in 2002. Qualified for 2009 U.S. Amateur. Member of the U.S. team that competed in 2002 World Junior Golf Cup. Recorded a hole-in-one at Pebble Beach in 2005 semifinals of the California State Amateur; lost to Don Dubois in finals that year. Semifinalist in 2006 California State Amateur at Pebble Beach. Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Ranking: 431

	Russell Henley, Macon, GA Medalist at Roswell, Ga., sectional, shooting 73-64 at Ansley Golf Club's Settindown Creek Course. Just completed junior season at University of Georgia. First-Team All-American for 2009-2010 season. Qualified for NCAA Championships as an individual. Selected to represent U.S. at 2010 Palmer Cup at Royal Portrush. Owns five collegiate wins, two shy of the school record owned by Chris Kirk. Finished 34th at 2010 Stadion Athens Classic in Athens, Ga., on Nationwide Tour, including a 67 in final round. Won 2008 and 2009 Georgia Amateur. Advanced to the round of 16 at 2005 U.S. Junior Amateur. Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Ranking: 20

	Morgan Hoffman, Wyckoff, NJ Qualified at Memphis, Tenn., sectional, shooting 67-67 at Colonial Country Club. Came a day after Oklahoma State lost in the title match of the NCAA Division I Championship to Augusta State. Completed his sophomore season at Oklahoma State, where he was an All-American as a freshman in 2009. Member of the victorious 2009 USA Walker Cup Team, going 2-0-1. Won 2009 Phil Mickelson Award as nation's top freshman. Qualified for 2005 U.S. Amateur at Merion as a 16 year old and advanced to match play. Quarterfinalist at 2008 U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2. Represented the U.S. at 2009 Palmer Cup. Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Ranking: 32

	Scott Langley, St. Louis, MO >> Video Claimed medalist honors -- and only available spot -- at St. Louis sectional, shooting 66-66 on the Lewis and Clark Course at The Country Club of St. Albans, the same course used for the 2009 USGA Men's State Team Championship. Plays golf left-handed. Won 2010 NCAA Division I individual title at The Honors Course in Ooltewah, Tenn., posting a 54-hole total of 10-under-par 206. Qualified for 2008 and 2009 U.S. Amateur. Reached round of 32 at 2008 U.S. Amateur Public Links. Two-time winner of Metropolitan Open in St. Louis (2008 and 2009). Named 2010 Big Ten Player of the Year; just finished junior year at Illinois. Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Ranking: 16

	Alex Martin, Liberty Township, OH Survived a 6-for-5 playoff at Columbus, Ohio, sectional, shooting 70-67. Won 2009 Ohio Amateur by five strokes. Was alternate for both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Amateur Public Links in 2009; has automatically qualified for both in 2010 by virtue of getting into the Open. Advanced to the round of 32 at 2004 U.S. Junior Amateur. Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Ranking: 96

	Ben Martin, Greenwood, SC Runner-up at 2009 U.S. Amateur at Southern Hills Country Club, losing to Byeong-Hun An in championship match. Competed in 2009 Masters. Finished eighth at the 2008 ACC Tournament, 16th at the NCAA Division I West Regional and 29th at the NCAA Division I Championship. Won the 2006 Palmetto Amateur. Runner-up at the 2005 South Carolina Amateur. Qualified for U.S. Junior Amateur in 2004 and 2005. Named first-team All-District III by the Golf Coaches Association for 2006-07. Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Ranking: 34

	Kevin Phelan, St. Augustine, FL Holed out for eagle on his final hole at Hobe Sound, Fla., sectional to earn co-medalist honors with Gary Woodland at 138. Made a birdie at his final of local qualifier to advance to sectional round. Just completed his freshman season at University of North Florida. Played high school golf at Nease High, same school that produced Heisman Trophy winner Tim Tebow. 2009 Player of the Year on Florida Junior Golf Tour. Led Nease to Florida 2A state title as a junior. Member of East squad for 2008 Canon Cup. Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Ranking: 150

	Andrew Putnam, University Place, WA Survived a 4-for-1 playoff at Sacramento, Calif., sectional after shooting 137 at Del Paso Country Club. Older brother, Michael, was member of 2005 USA Walker Cup Team and has played on the PGA and Nationwide tours. Just completed junior season at Pepperdine, where he has been a two-time All-American. Medalist at local U.S. Open qualifier in Glendale, Calif. Semifinalist at 2006 U.S. Junior Amateur. Participated in 2006 and 2008 U.S. Amateur. Named West Coast Conference Player of the Year for 2008-09 season. Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Ranking: 345

	Hudson Swafford, Tallahassee, FL Earned co-medalist honors with Rich Barcelo at Memphis, Tenn., sectional, shooting 67-65 at Colonial Country Club. Underwent shoulder surgery in fall of 2009 and red-shirted this past season at Georgia. Second-team All-American as a sophomore and junior in 2008 and 2009. Named Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year in 2007. Represented the U.S. in 2006 World Junior Cup in Japan. Qualified for 2006 U.S. Amateur. Majoring in consumer economics. Golfweek/amateurgolf.com World Ranking: 178

Results: U.S. Open Golf Championship

Place	Player	Location	Pts	Scores
T16	Scott Langley	St. Louis, MO	900	75-69-77-71--292
T16	Russell Henley	Macon, GA	900	73-74-72-73--292

View full results for U.S. Open Golf Championship

About the U.S. Open Golf Championship

U.S. Open: Profiles of the 11 Ams in the field

The U.S. Open is the biggest of the 15 national championships conducted by the USGA. Open to amateurs and professionals. Amateurs gain entry via USGA win or runner-up finishes while having the opportunity to qualify alongside non-exempt professionals...