Aug. 3, 2005
ORLANDO - UCF sophomore Ben Leong won the 36-hole local qualifier and junior Steven Bain finished third, earning the right for both to compete in the 2005 U.S. Amateur Championship to be played at Merion Golf Club Aug. 22-28 in Ardmore, Pa.
Playing at Orlando's Rio Pinar Country Club, the home golf course for the UCF men's golf team, Leong shot rounds of 66 and 69 Aug. 1-2 to finish at 9-under-par 135, while Bain survived a three-hole playoff for the third and final qualifying spot after posting a 7-under-par 137 (69-68).
The pair will now compete in the stroke play portion of the U.S. Amateur in hopes of advancing to the match play. A total of 312 golfers will participate in the 36-hole stroke play tournament, with the low 64 players advancing to single-elimination match play.
Results of the U.S. Amateur Championship can be followed online beginning Aug. 22 at http://www.usamateur.org/
The performances of Bain and Leong are latest in a series of good showings this summer by UCF golfers. Earlier, sophomore Giwon Suh tied for medalist honors in local qualifying for the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship at 9-under-par 135 and then advanced through 36-hole stroke play before losing in the first round of match play. He also shot a 3-under-par 69 to finish second in Southern Amateur qualifying in June.
Additionally, sophomore Chris Anderson placed eighth in the Southeastern Amateur Championship with a 72-hole score of 3-under-par 285.