Zachary, LA — July 10th, 2023
John Humphries of Woodworth, Louisiana fired a three-under par 68 in round one and a five-under par 66 for a total score of eight-under par at Beaver Creek to earn medalist honors in the U.S. Amateur Championship Qualifier. The three-time Louisiana Amateur champion played lights out in the second round with six birdies and an impressive one lone bogey. In the clubhouse after his two rounds, Humphries was pleased to have qualified for the U.S. Amateur. He said he couldn’t have done it without his caddy, who happened to be his wife, after a long day of golf, playing 36 holes. It looks like Humphries already has his caddy set for the U.S. Amateur.
It was a Louisiana sweep on Monday as Zachary’s own Kyle Bennett grabbed the other qualifying spot into the U.S. Amateur. Bennett, fresh off a first-place finish in the Louisiana Men’s Four-Ball with his brother Brady in June, continued his impressive play, this time without the help of his brother. His stellar rounds of 68 and 67 included one eagle, seven birdies, and only two bogeys over the two rounds at Beaver Creek.
Matt Weber of Broussard, Louisiana and Kale Fontenot of Lafayette, Louisiana both finished at six-under par to head into a playoff for the first and second alternate spots. Weber tied the low round of the day with a 66 and made a clutch birdie on hole 18, his final hole, to get himself into the playoff. Fontenot won the sudden death playoff with a birdie on the second playoff hole at the par 4 10th hole. Weber earned the 2nd alternate spot.
Humphries and Bennett now advance to the 123rd U.S. Amateur Championship, to be conducted at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, a suburb just outside of Denver, on August 14-20th. The stroke play co-host venue is Colorado Golf Club.
Cherry Hills Country Club was founded in 1922. The founders of the club enlisted William S. Flynn to design the course for the handsome sum of $4,500. Throughout the years, Cherry Hills has stood the test of time, and is still considered as one of the true classic golf courses in the landscape of American golf. Tom Doak is also to thank, as he was the head of Cherry Hill’s restoration in 2008. Cherry Hills has hosted many other golf championships including the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open, a couple of times each. Cherry Hills has also hosted the U.S. Amateur two other times in 1990 and 2012. Steven Fox was the 2012 champion and the 1990 champion was a familiar name in the golf game, being a young Phil Mickelson. Cherry Hills Country Club will play to a par 71 at around 7,400. The USGA will have a field of 312 will compete in Colorado.
Beaver Creek Golf Course, which is also hosting the much-anticipated Louisiana Junior and Girls’ Junior Amateur Championship this week, played to a par of 71 at 6,855 yards on Monday. The golf course was in tremendous shape, which is a testament to the Beaver Creek staff, and also Mike Raby, who is the Director of Golf for BREC Golf, with Beaver Creek being one of the five BREC Golf Courses.
Click here for final results.