U.S. Amateur Qualifying – Clustered Spires Results
Charlie Bundy breezed through a well-conditioned Clustered Spires course shooting eight-under-par with rounds of 68-64, and went on to win medalist honors in the qualifier for the U.S. Amateur Championship by four strokes. The Fredrick course was played at 6,563 yards to a par of 35-35-70.
Bundy didn’t start his first-round off in the best way. Coming off par on No. 1 and No. 2, Bundy double-bogeyed the par 4, 3rd hole, which played very tough in the morning. However, Bundy birdied holes 5, 6, 7, and 9 to get back on the right track. Bundy shot even-par the back nine with a birdie on No. 17, which lead to a two-under-par 68 in, the first round. Bundy knew what he needed to do to claim his spot when heading into his second round. He would shoot a bogey-free 64 with birdies on No. 5, 8, 10, 12, 13, and 15.
The two other available spots went to Carson Bacha of York, PA, who earned his spot after shooting rounds of 69-67 to finish four-under-par. Bacha had an eagle on the 512-yard par-5, bringing him to three-under-par for the round and four-under-par for the day. This clutch eagle was able to keep Bacha out of a potential playoff and help him claim his spot. The last qualifying spot went to 2021 Maryland Amateur champion Brad Whitaker, who carded in rounds of 68-69 to claim the final spot by one stroke. These three qualifiers will play at the 122nd U.S. Amateur Championship in August at Ridgewood Country Club in New Jersey.
Two players tied for the two alternate spots at the end of the second round. Ryan Smith of Leesburg, VA, shot two rounds of 69 to finish the day two-under-par. Elmer Hansen of Blue Bell PA shot rounds of 71 and 67 also to finish two-under-par. The two would go into a playoff to declare which would be the first and second alternate. The playoff holes were the par-4, No. 10, the par-3, No. 13, and the par-4, No. 18. The playoff looked like it would be over after the first hole as Hansen faced a tough 30-foot putt to extend the playoff, which he drained to move to the par-3, 13th. Both players made par on the second playoff hole. On the 3rd playoff hole, Hansen had a birdie putt that would end the match. However, the putt didn’t fall, and he had to tap in for par to keep the playoff going. Onto the 4th playoff hole and back to the 10th tee, both players hit their drives down the middle, with Smith being about 20 yards ahead of Hansen. Hansen left his approach short while Smith hit his approach a couple of feet short of the front pin before it spun back a couple of inches away from the fridge. Hansen sent his chip shot long of the pin and could not make his par putt. Smith missed his birdie putt but was able to tap in for par to end the playoff and claim the first alternate spot.
The 122nd U.S. Amateur Championship will be held on August 15-22 at Ridgewood CC in Paramus, New Jersey.
