Aug. 4, 2010

COLUMBIA, S.C. – Two South Carolina golfers qualified for the 2010 U.S. Amateur Championship this week as rising junior Wesley Bryan and his older brother, George Bryan IV, advanced from sectional qualifying on Tuesday.

Wesley Bryan was the medalist in the qualifier at the Country Club of Fairfax in Fairfax, Va., posting a two-day total of 134 to take the top spot by two shots. George Bryan IV shot 139 over a two-day span, winning his spot in the championship in a 3-for-2 playoff with two others that posted the same score.

It will mark Wesley’s third straight trip to the U.S. Amateur; he advanced to match play in each of his two previous attempts. George is making his second trip in three years after missing out in qualifying in 2009. He also advanced to match play as a 17-year-old in 2005.

Several other Gamecock golfers have participated in U.S. Amateur qualifying over the last couple of weeks. Clint Tolleson was the second alternate from the qualifier in Bluffton, S.C., and incoming freshman Caulder Moore also competed in that event. Fellow newcomer Logan Harrell failed to qualify from the Durham, N.C., sectional, as did rising sophomores Dykes Harbin and Dean Hester from a qualifier in Montgomery, Ala. Chase Liebler and incoming freshman Blaine Woodruff competed at two different qualifiers in Cincinnati, Ohio, over the last two days, but did not qualify.

Redshirt sophomore Michael Raines and recent graduate Paul Woodbury are slated to compete in qualifiers next week. Raines will attempt to qualify in Dahlonega, Ga., on Monday and Tuesday, while Woodbury will compete in Knoxville, Tenn., on Tuesday.

The 110th U.S. Amateur Championship will be held Aug. 23-29 at Chambers Bay Golf Club, just outside of Tacoma, Wash. The U.S. Amateur Championship is open to all amateur golfers with a USGA handicap index not exceeding 2.4.