Aug. 8, 2002
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina golfer Clay Kilgore shot rounds of 71-65 at Morganton's Mimosa Hills Golf and Country Club to qualify for the 2002 United States Amateur Championship.
Kilgore, a rising junior from Nebo, N.C., needed a birdie on his first playoff hole to become one of three players to advance from the sectional qualifier.
"I did not think in my wildest dreams that I would be able to qualify when I entered the sectional qualifying," Kilgore said. "I just wanted to go out and see what would happen. The only thing I had going in my favor was that the sectional qualifying was on my home course."
Kilgore posted a stroke average of 76.47 in his sophomore season, which is the 12th-best single-season average in WCU history. His career stroke average currently stands at 77.57, which ranks ninth on Western's all-time list.
"This is great opportunity and will be a great experience for Clay," said WCU head men's golf coach Johnny Wike. "Only three players from a field of 60-plus advanced past his sectional qualifying so to be one of a select few is exciting for him and the Catamount golf program. We had some key leaders graduate this past year and I was looking for some of our younger guys to step up. This is definitely a good start.
The US Amateur is held at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield, Mich., from Aug. 19-25. For more information on the 2002 US Amateur, visit: www.usga.com. For a complete listing of those who qualified visit: www.usga.org/press/qualifying_results/2002/USAm_qualifying.html.
