Wolverine Duo Qualifies for U.S. Amateur Championship
8/9/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
ANN ARBOR, Mich. --Alexander Sitompul(Jakarta, Indonesia/Bradenton Prep) and Lion Kim(Lake Mary, Fla./Lake Mary Prep) of the University of Michigan men's golf team qualified to compete in the 2008 U.S. Amateur Championship at Pinehurst Courses No. 2 and No. 4, Aug. 18 - 24. This will mark the first time Sitompul will compete in the USGA event and will be the third straight year for Kim.
Sitompul used a sectional-round tally of 138 (67-71) at the Dearborn Country Club (July 29) in Dearborn, Mich., to qualify, while Kim won medalist honors at his qualifier with a 132 (64-68) at the Battleground Country Club in Tennet, N.J. (Aug. 5).
"I am really happy to qualify for the event," said Sitompul. "It is going to be a great course to play on. Really, I am just looking forward to playing in a USGA setting. For now, I am just looking to make the match play and see what happens after that. I really need to get a good look at the course to see how well I can do. It's great to have both of us competing. It just shows you how capable our team is. We had four guys in the field last year and we have two this year, so it's not a fluke."
"It feels great to be able to play in the U.S. Amateur again," said Kim. "This will be my third straight year. Any time you get to play in the biggest amateur tournament in the country is always a pleasure and loads of fun at the same time. We get to play Pinehurst No. 2, which is one of the finest golf courses in America. Obviously the U.S. Open was held there, so any time you get to play a major championship golf course is an honor. It is a course that Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and other legendary players have played so it is going to be special. It is great to have Alex play this year. We had four guys play last year, but it is just us this year. Regardless, it will be fun to go out and see what we can do and represent Michigan as well as we can."
Kim tied for 59th with a 147 total after stroke play at the 2007 U.S. Amateur, played at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif.He cardedrounds of 74 and 73. With 17 players tied at 147 and only six spots open to advance to match play, Kim was unable to advance in the playoff. In the 2006 U.S. Amateur, played at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn., Kim posted stroke-play rounds of 75 and 74 for a 149 total to miss advancing to match play by two strokes.
"Any time you play in a USGA event, they are going to making it hard, but fair at the same time," said Kim. "So conditions are going to be tough. Over the last few times I have played this event I have learned to be patient no matter what. Everyone is going to make bogey's out there. When I do, I just have to be positive and play smart the rest of the way in. Course management will be extremely important. "
Former Wolverine Brian Ottenweller (2005-08) posted rounds of 73 and 72 for a 145 total at his qualifier at the Boyne Resorts, Heather Course (July 24), but did not advance missing by two strokes. Billy McKay(Grand Blanc, Mich./David Leadbetter Golf Academy) was also at the Boyne qualifier and did not advance after posting a total of 154 (78-76).
The U.S. Amateur, the oldest USGA championship, was first played in 1895 at Newport Golf Club in Rhode Island. The event, which has no age restriction, is open to those with a handicap index of 2.4 or lower. It is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the USGA, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
2008 U.S. Amateur Championship
Results:2007 U.S. Amateur|2006 U.S. Amateur
Contact: Tom Wywrot (734) 763-4423
Players Mentioned
