TicketsCINCINNATI – For the second consecutive year, University of Cincinnati junior Austin Squires (Union, Ky./Ryle High School) will participate in the U.S. Amateur.
Squires claimed the second of two qualifying cards up for grabs Monday at Coldstream Country Club, carding a 5-under 64-73=137 to finish second in the 77-player field behind Isaiah Salinda, who posted a 9-under 67-66=133.
"My first round score got me through," Squires said. "That gave me more freedom to not have to play so aggressively in the afternoon round. I struggled in the second round. I wasn't making my putts but I squeaked in by one stroke and that's all that matters."
The 2018 U.S. Amateur runs Aug. 13-19 at Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.
Nationally, 61 players are fully exempt into the championship and the remaining places in the 312-player field are currently being filled through qualifying at 100 sites across the country and in Canada, Mexico and Puerto Rico from July 2-25.
Last summer, Squires claimed one of three qualifying positions for the U.S. Amateur at Coldstream Country Club, tying Bearcats teammate Davis Baxter with identical 4-under par 67-71=138 scores.
"Playing in the U.S. Amateur last year in Los Angeles was the first west coast tournament of my career," said Squires, who didn't advance past the stroke-play portion of the event last summer. "That was the biggest stage I'd competed on and I was battling my nerves. But this year, I have more confidence in my game overall and the experiences from last year of how to play in the stroke play rounds and how to play out west should help me."