Black Qualifies for U.S. Mid-Amateur

Andrew Black can cross another goal off his list.

Heading into the summer, Black, the former East Ridge High School and University of Tennessee golfer, was determined to qualify for all three major USGA men’s amateur tournaments. He bagged the first last month and advanced all the way to the third round of the U.S. Amateur Public Links before falling 3 and 2 to eventual champion Clay Ogden.

Two weeks ago, Black qualified for the U.S. Amateur with a two-round total of 11- under-par 133 at the Landmark Golf Club in Lenoir City, Tenn. On Tuesday at Council Fire, a course where he’s played well over the years, Black shot a 3-under-par 69 to qualify for the U.S. Mid-Amateur, which will be played next month at Black Creek and The Honors Course.

Black’s score was the day’s second lowest—Trey Lewis of Hendersonville, Tenn., who won the 2001 Tennessee Open, shot a 5-under-67. John Fulkerson of Atlanta also shot 69. Parker Smith of Morristown followed with a 70, and Kenny Wilson of Murfreesboro shot 71.

Those five had it easy. The other three qualifiers had to earn their spots in a two-hole playoff. Six golfers tied at 72, including Vanderbilt men's golf coach Press McPhaul. At the end of two holes, only three were left: Blake Marshall, who’s from Bermuda, Chris Liner of Athens and Ryan Parnell of Atlanta. Matt Oxford of Rocky Face, Ga. is first alternate, followed by McPhaul and Allen Thompson of McDonough, Ga.

Black credits his play this summer—he also tied for fifth in last week’s Tennessee Amateur at Memphis Country Club—to an improved short game, but it was his iron play that secured his Mid-Amateur spot. He started on No. 10 and turned in 2-under par, then made three front-side birdies, hitting a gap wedge to six feet at No. 1, a pitching wedge to about a foot at No. 3 and a 4-iron to five feet at No. 4.

Those three birdies were more than enough to offset a bogey at the par-5 second hole. “It feels good to qualify for all three [USGA] tournaments,” Black said. “But it won't be good enough to just qualify. I want to play well.”

Next week’s U.S. Amateur will be played at historic Merion outside of Philadelphia. Vanderbilt golfer Luke List, who caddied for McPhaul on Tuesday and is also playing in the U.S. Amateur, said Merion, which he played last week, has been lengthened and toughened up. “It’s a difficult golf course,” List said.

Black is looking forward to playing Merion, but he's also eagerly awaiting the Mid-Amateur at The Honors, a course he’s had success on since he was a junior. He won the season-ending Junior Classic twice in two different age groups. Last year, he finished third in the Southern Amateur.

“The Honors is a great course,” Black said. “But I’ve always been able to make a lot of birdies there. That’s the name of the game in match play.”

—Chris Dortch