WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue golfer Fernando Barco garnered medalist honors at United States Golf Association Amateur qualifying at the Kampen Course to earn a spot in the 116th US Amateur in August.
The US Amateur will be held August 15 to 21 at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, on the northwest side of Detroit.
It marks the second straight year that Barco has advanced to the US Amateur. There were 63 players competing for three spots in Monday's qualifier.
Barco, a rising senior from Lima, Peru, fired a 36-hole total of 8-under par 136 (68-68) at the Kampen Course to earn medalist honors and grab one of the three qualifying spots. The other two spots went to Ohio State grad and West Lafayette native Sean Busch (70-67=137) and Illinois rising junior Dylan Meyer (67-71=138).
Barco trailed Meyer after 18 holes by one shot after shooting an opening-round 68. He was 1-under par through 12 holes before he birdied holes 13, 14 and 15 to finish his first round with a flurry.
In his second round, he surged into the lead by recording birdies on four of his first seven holes to move to 8-under par. He would bogey No. 15 to fall to 7-under par, but then birdied 16 to retake the lead and earn medalist honors.
Barco led a strong Purdue contingent at the Kampen Course. Rising sophomore Timmy Hildebrand finished tied for seventh at 1-under par 143 (73-70), incoming freshman Thomas Lewis was tied for 14th at 3-over par 147 (74-73) and senior Chad Phillips was tied for 18th at 4-over par 148 (75-73).
Meanwhile, senior Austin Eoff lost on the first hole of a playoff in qualifying at Maumelle Country Club in Arkansas. Eoff totaled a 36-hole score of 4-under par 140 (69-71), but missed out on the one qualifying spot in a playoff, falling to Rhodes College Chris Harris, a Division II All American. Harris made birdie on the first hole to advance. Forty-three players were competing for one spot in qualifying at Maumelle CC.
Eoff and Brian Carlson will now serve as alternates for the US Amateur next month. Carlson finished as an alternate in earlier qualifying at Ellington Ridge Country Club in Connecticut.
