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Chinn Qualifies for U.S. Amateur Championship
7/12/2023 11:58:00 AM | Men's Golf
WILLIAMSBURG, Va. – Duke men's golfer Kelly Chinn has qualified for the United States Amateur Championship for the fourth consecutive year. Chinn, a rising junior, earned one of the three qualifying spots at his sectional qualifier, held on the Gold Course at Golden Horseshoe Golf Club in Williamsburg, Va. The 123rd U.S. Amateur Championship is set to be held Aug. 14-20 at Cherry Hills C.C. in Cherry Hills Village, Colo.
"The past two days were really great," said Chinn. "My game felt really solid, and I was able to manage my way through the course well. It was a grind until the end, but I just continued to stick to my process and I'm super pumped to head to Colorado for the U.S. Amateur."
Chinn started his qualifying with a 5-under, 66, in the first round on Monday. The Great Falls, Va., native began his day on No. 10 and quickly got into red numbers with birdies on No. 12 and 14 but dropped a shot on the par-5 15th, making the turn at 1-under. He then surged up the leaderboard with five birdies over his next six holes before a final bogey on No. 7 wrapped up the 5-under opening round.
Tuesday's final round started on the front nine and Chinn went out in 1-under, 35. After making the turn to the back nine, he rolled in back-to-back birdies on No. 11 and 12 to reach 3-under for the round and 8-under for the qualifier. Sitting just outside the qualifying line of the top three players heading into the last hole, the rising junior made a birdie putt on the par-4 18th to force a three-player playoff for the final two qualifying spots. The playoff was settled after just one hole, with Chinn making the lone birdie out of the three players and clinching his qualifying spot.
The 312-player U.S. Amateur field plays 36 holes of stroke play over the first two days of competition before a cut determines the 64 match-play participants. Chinn last reached the match play portion in 2020 during the 120th U.S. Amateur held at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore.
Chinn is the first Blue Devil to qualify for the 123rd U.S. Amateur. Several of his teammates are still preparing to play in their qualifiers, held throughout the remainder of July.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils men's golf, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeMGOLF".
#GoDuke
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"The past two days were really great," said Chinn. "My game felt really solid, and I was able to manage my way through the course well. It was a grind until the end, but I just continued to stick to my process and I'm super pumped to head to Colorado for the U.S. Amateur."
Chinn started his qualifying with a 5-under, 66, in the first round on Monday. The Great Falls, Va., native began his day on No. 10 and quickly got into red numbers with birdies on No. 12 and 14 but dropped a shot on the par-5 15th, making the turn at 1-under. He then surged up the leaderboard with five birdies over his next six holes before a final bogey on No. 7 wrapped up the 5-under opening round.
Tuesday's final round started on the front nine and Chinn went out in 1-under, 35. After making the turn to the back nine, he rolled in back-to-back birdies on No. 11 and 12 to reach 3-under for the round and 8-under for the qualifier. Sitting just outside the qualifying line of the top three players heading into the last hole, the rising junior made a birdie putt on the par-4 18th to force a three-player playoff for the final two qualifying spots. The playoff was settled after just one hole, with Chinn making the lone birdie out of the three players and clinching his qualifying spot.
The 312-player U.S. Amateur field plays 36 holes of stroke play over the first two days of competition before a cut determines the 64 match-play participants. Chinn last reached the match play portion in 2020 during the 120th U.S. Amateur held at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort in Bandon, Ore.
Chinn is the first Blue Devil to qualify for the 123rd U.S. Amateur. Several of his teammates are still preparing to play in their qualifiers, held throughout the remainder of July.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils men's golf, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching "DukeMGOLF".
#GoDuke
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