McMaster varsity golfer qualifies for world’s top amateur golf tournament

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BY Department of Athletics & Recreation

July 29, 2005

McMaster golf team member Jason Wellings has qualified to play in the United States Amateur, widely regarded as the premier amateur golf event in the world. Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods, who have five US Amateur titles between them, regard the US Am as the “fifth
major” of golf, along with the British Open, US Open, the PGA Championship and the Masters.

Wellings, a Second-Team OUA All-Star in 2004 in just his first year at McMaster, was one of 7,500 golfers from around the world, playing at numerous regional qualifying sites across the United States to qualify. Teeing it up at Red Run Golf Club in Royal Oak, Michigan, Wellings carded a score of 71-72 over the two days of qualifying to finish in a tie for second at his qualifying site.

Ryan Blaum of Florida won the event in Royal Oak, Michigan with a score of 141. Welling tied Willard Richart of Michigan with a score of 143.

In qualifying, Welling is one of only eight non-Americans to earn his way into the US Amateur through the qualifiers, only one of three Canadians and the only Canadian Interuniversity Sport golfer.

Other Canadians qualifying for the US Amateur include Mark Leon (Penn State University) and Kevin Fortin-Simard (University of Memphis).

Founded in 1895, the US Amateur features a grueling format. Following two days of stroke play, the field of just over 300 golfers will be reduced to the lowest 64 scorers. The 64 advance to the match-play, single-elimination part of the tournament. All matches are 18 holes except for the championship match which is 36 holes on the final day of competition.

The United States Amateur is played at the legendary Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pennsylvania, August 22-28, 2005.

Last year, the match play portion of the tournament was televised on ESPN2. Updates can be found at www.usamateur.org.

McMaster University has captured the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Golf Championship two of the past three years. McMaster practices at the Hamilton Golf and Country Club, Ranked as the #1 course in Canada by SCOREGolf in 2004.