July 30, 2013
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – University of Notre Dame senior men’s golfer Andrew Lane qualified for the 2013 United States Amateur Championship after firing a two-round score of three-under par 141 (72-69) Monday at the Seven Oaks Golf Club in Hamilton, N.Y. Lane, who finished in third place to earn the final automatic bid to the championship from the Hamilton site, is the ninth Irish player to qualify for the U.S. Amateur since head coach Jim Kubinski arrived at Notre Dame in 2005, and the first since Max Scodro in 2011.
“We’re excited to see Andrew qualify for what really is the biggest championship in amateur golf,” Kubinski said. “He has improved each year here at ND, so to see him earn this special opportunity, after all the hard work he has put in, validates the sacrifices he has made. A lot of players say they want to achieve great things. That’s easy. Making sacrifices and being disciplined in pursuit of one’s goal is what affords talented players opportunities to enjoy success.”
The Fairport, N.Y. native was tested early in his opening round on the par-72, 6,915-yard Seven Oaks layout, with bogies at the par-3 second and par-5 fifth holes. Lane responded with a birdie at the 452-yard ninth hole to make the turn in one-over par 37.
Lane pulled his round back to even par after making a birdie at the 528-yard 12th hole, but surrendered a shot at the par-4 15th to drop back to plus-one for the day. A closing birdie at the 546-yard 18th hole gave him an inward nine total of 35 (-1) to cap an even-par 72.
With an early afternoon tee time for his second round, Lane shot out of the gate after starting on the back nine, birdieing the par-4 10th and par-4 13th holes to go two-under par for the qualifier. He added birdies on the par-5 fifth and seventh holes, surrendering a lone shot at the 452-yard ninth hole to card a three-under 69, edging Tim Johnson and Charlie Saxon (72-70-142, -2) for the third and final qualifying spot into the U.S. Amateur field.
Lane’s first round birdie at the ninth hole was one of only six total at No. 9 during the day, as the par-4 ranked as the third hardest hole of the event (+0.576). In fact, Lane played the four toughest holes based on stroke average (the first, 16th, ninth and 11th holes, respectively) at even par for his two rounds.
The 2013 U.S. Amateur will be held August 12-18 at The Country Club Championship Course in Brookline, Mass. The course has previously hosted the U.S. Amateur five times (1910, 1922, 1934, 1957 and 1982), the U.S. Women’s Amateur three times (1902, 1941 and 1995) and the U.S. Open three times (1913, 1963 and 1988). The Country Club was also the site of the 1999 Ryder Cup, which saw the U.S. team cap an unlikely comeback from a 10-6 deficit on the final day of play to win 14.5-13.5.
“This will be another great experience for Andrew,” Kubinski said. “His swing looks great, after the months he put in working to make improvements. His wedges and short game are always at a high level. I’m looking forward to watching him against all the top players. I think he’ll learn that he can compete against the best, with that belief and in trusting his game.”
–ND–