KNOXVILLE, Tenn. – Jake Headrick shot a two-under 140 at Willow Creek Golf Club in the United States Amateur Qualifying in Knoxville sectional qualifying that concluded Tuesday to qualify for the 116th U.S. Amateur Championship to be held at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Township, Michigan from Aug. 15-21.
The sophomore shot a 69 in the first round and a 71 in the second round to finish with a 140 total score to tie for second, three strokes behind Andreas Gjesteby, with Brandon Worley.
The Amateur Championship is the oldest championship hosted by the United States Golf Association (USGA) with its first competition coming in 1895 at the Newport Country Club.
The tournament begins with two days of stroke play, with the leading 64 competitors playing a knockout competition during match play. All knockout matches are over 18 holes except for the final, which consists of 36 holes, separated into morning and afternoon 18-hole rounds.
Headrick will play at Oakland Hills Country Club north and south courses which has hosted six U.S. Opens three PGA Championships, and the 2004 Ryder Cup. The club has hosted a U.S. Amateur one time, in 2004, when Ricky Barnes won the championship. The most recent major event was the PGA Championship in 2008 that saw Padraig Harrington shoot a 3-under to win the tournament.
Past winners of the event include PGA Tour legends Bobby Jones, a five-time winner, Arnold Palmer (1954), Jack Nicklaus (1959 and 1961) and Tiger Woods (1994-96). 2015 winner Bryson DeChambeau, finished as the low amateur at the 2016 Masters by tying for 21st.
The Maryville, Tenn. native was an honorable mention All-South Atlantic Conference pick and a first-team SAC Men's Golf Championship member after finishing fifth at three-over in the tournament.
After competing in every round during his freshman year at Carson-Newman, Headrick Finished two tournaments under-par at the University of North Georgia Fall Invitational and the 2016 Spring Kickoff Intercollegiate and shot a career-low four-under 68 during the first round of the Saint Leo Men's Inviational.
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