Aug. 16, 2016
BLOOMFIELD HILLS, Mich. ââ’¬” Notre Dame men’s golf senior Blake Barens qualified for the match play rounds of the U.S. Amateur Championship after carding a two-day total of 141 (+1) at famed Oakland Hills Country Club (Bloomfield Hills, Mich.).
Barens finished the stroke play rounds of his first U.S. Amateur, the oldest United States Golf Association (USGA) championship, in a tie for 41st place. Of the 312 entrants to the 116th edition of the Championship, only the top 64 qualify for match play.
“Blake played an incredibly solid 36 holes to make match play,” Notre Dame Head Coach Jim Kubinski said. “A two-day total of 141 on ‘The Monster’ is an incredible accomplishment. I’m so proud of the maturity he exhibited.”
After an opening-round 69 on the 7,129-yard championship course, Barens exuded confidence under pressure during his second round 72 (+2) in which he tallied 16 pars on his card to secure his place as the 51st seed in match play.
“Blake’s 72 today was just pars and guts out there,” Kubinski continued. “He just made pars and stayed patient. On some of the toughest finishing holes in golf, he made three phenomenal up-and-downs to make the cut.”
Barens opening-round match play round tees off on Wednesday, August 17, at 10:10 A.M. (ET) against 13th-seeded Zachary Bauchou.
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