SAN DIEGO – Purdue alum Fernando Barco descends on Torrey Pines Golf Course this week for the 121st playing of the U.S. Open, looking to continue his hot play that got him there.
Barco advanced to the U.S. Open through local and sectional qualifying, becoming the first Peruvian to ever play in the U.S. Open. He earned medalist honors at local qualifying with a 7-under par 65, defeating his next closest competitor by three shots to move on.
He then made headlines in Dallas by overcoming many odds at sectional qualifying to advance to his first major tournament. He quadruple-bogeyed his first hole of the event, saw a competitor who was at 5-under par bogey his final hole which forced a 10-for-1 playoff for a final spot, then birdied the hole that he quadruple-bogeyed to win the playoff and punch his ticket.
Barco played his practice round on Monday with Joaquin Niemann and Sergio Garcia. Tuesday's practice round included Juan Sebastian Munoz and Rory McIlroy. Barco will have former Purdue assistant coach Jake Amos caddy for him.
Barco will be paired with former Illinois standout and consistent collegiate playing partner Dylan Meyer and amateur Matthew Sharpstene. The trio will tee off hole No. 1 on Thursday at 8:46 a.m. PT / 11:46 a.m. ET. Friday's second round will start at 2:31 p.m. PT / 5:31 p.m. ET, off hole No. 10.
Barco earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as a senior in 2017 and ranks ninth on the school's career scoring average chart (73.61). His 72.66 stroke average in 2017 is the 13th best in school history and his eight top-20 finishes during the 2015-16 season rank 10th in school history.
Barco advanced to the U.S. Open through local and sectional qualifying, becoming the first Peruvian to ever play in the U.S. Open. He earned medalist honors at local qualifying with a 7-under par 65, defeating his next closest competitor by three shots to move on.
He then made headlines in Dallas by overcoming many odds at sectional qualifying to advance to his first major tournament. He quadruple-bogeyed his first hole of the event, saw a competitor who was at 5-under par bogey his final hole which forced a 10-for-1 playoff for a final spot, then birdied the hole that he quadruple-bogeyed to win the playoff and punch his ticket.
Barco played his practice round on Monday with Joaquin Niemann and Sergio Garcia. Tuesday's practice round included Juan Sebastian Munoz and Rory McIlroy. Barco will have former Purdue assistant coach Jake Amos caddy for him.
Barco will be paired with former Illinois standout and consistent collegiate playing partner Dylan Meyer and amateur Matthew Sharpstene. The trio will tee off hole No. 1 on Thursday at 8:46 a.m. PT / 11:46 a.m. ET. Friday's second round will start at 2:31 p.m. PT / 5:31 p.m. ET, off hole No. 10.
Barco earned second-team All-Big Ten honors as a senior in 2017 and ranks ninth on the school's career scoring average chart (73.61). His 72.66 stroke average in 2017 is the 13th best in school history and his eight top-20 finishes during the 2015-16 season rank 10th in school history.