Aug. 22, 2011

ERIN, Wis. — South Carolina sophomore Blaine Woodruff began play at the 111th U.S. Amateur Championship on Monday afternoon at Erin Hills Golf Course, carding a 77 (+5) in his first appearance at the event.

Woodruff was among the portion of the field to tee off at Erin Hills, which is the longest course in U.S. Amateur history at 7,760 yards. The remaining participants played at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club.

The Acworth, Ga., native went through a rough stretch of holes after recording par on the 563-yard par 5 first as he made a double bogey and two bogeys on the next three holes. He bounced back with a birdie on hole No. 5 before closing out the front nine with three pars and another bogey to make the turn at 4-over.

Woodruff settled down on the back nine to shoot 37 (+1). He had back-to-back bogeys on the 13th and 14th holes but he carded a birdie on hole No. 18, a 675-yard par 5, to close out his round and finish the day in a tie for 230th place.

Blake Biddle of St. Charles, Ill., Gregor Main of Danville, Calif., and John Hahn of Las Vegas share the lead at 5-under par. Biddle fired a 67 at Erin Hills, while Main and Hahn each shot 65 at the par 70 Blue Mound Golf and Country Club.

The final round of stroke play will be held on Tuesday. Woodruff is slated to tee off in one of the first groups of the day at 7:30 a.m. at Blue Mound Golf and Country Club. Only the top 64 participants will advance to the first round of match play beginning on Wednesday.

Pairings, tee times and full coverage of the U.S. Amateur can be found at usamateur.org.