Aug. 5, 2009

COLUMBIA, S.C. – The South Carolina men’s golf team will have four representatives – three current, one former – at the U.S. Amateur Championship later this month as Patrick Rada, Wesley Bryan and 2008 graduate Mark Anderson all advanced from sectional qualifying on Monday and Tuesday at two different sites. They will join Paul Woodbury, who won his qualifier two weeks ago, in traveling to Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla., for the 2009 U.S. Amateur.

Rada, a rising senior from Anderson, S.C., was the medalist in the qualifier at The Standard Club in Duluth, Ga., on Tuesday. He fired matching rounds of 69-69=138 to lead the field of more than 125 golfers aiming for a spot in the championship. Not far behind was Bryan, a rising sophomore from Chapin, S.C. Bryan was tied for the lead after a first-round 66, then finished with a round of 74 to tie for second and earn himself a spot in the championship.

Rising senior George Bryan IV also competed in the Duluth qualifier and finished tied for ninth at 74-70=144, just missing a qualifying score.

In Amelia Island, Fla., Anderson tied for second with a score of 138 to advance to the U.S. Amateur for the second straight year.

The 109th U.S. Amateur Championship will be held at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla., Aug. 24-30. Entries were open to all amateur golfers who have a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 2.4.