Clemson, S.C. — Clemson rising senior Hampton Roberts fired a second round 73 to finish the 36-hole stroke play qualifier with a one-over-par score of 141 to qualify for the 64-player match play championship of the United States Amateur.
Roberts will begin play in the match play championship Wednesday morning against an opponent to be announced.
The stroke play qualifier was held over two courses near Philadelphia, Merion Golf Club and Philadelphia Country Club. Roberts shot a two-under-par 68 on Monday at Merion and fired a 73 on Tuesday at Philadelphia CC. That 141 total for 36 holes was good enough for a tie for 33rd place in the field of 312 amateur golfers from around the world.
Roberts is the first current Clemson golfer to qualify for match play at the U.S. Amateur since Jacob Bridgeman reached the final 16 at Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh. Bridgeman is now on the PGA Tour and ranked 13th in the FedEX Cup standings entering the playoffs on Thursday.
Roberts will be in his first year at Clemson later this month after transferring to Clemson from North Carolina. The native of Cary, N.C. played three years and 20 tournaments for the Tar Heels.
Roberts had eight birdies and nine bogeys and no double bogeys over the 36-hole qualifier. He scored a 31 on the back nine on Monday at Merion and that stretch proved to be a difference maker for Roberts.
Clemson had four other current or former golfers in the 126th U.S. Amateur stroke play qualifier. Rising junior Rich Wills, who qualified for the US Amateur by winning the North Carolina Amateur last month, shot a 73 at Merion on Tuesday and missed the cut for a playoff for the final six spots in the match play championship by just one shot.
He had an even par round of 70 in the opening round. He played 16 holes on Monday, then made par on the last two holes Tuesday morning. He was in 47th place after the first round, but his three-over-par score in the second dropped him out of the top 64. He finished in 71st place.
Former Clemson All-American Austin Langdale had an opening round 74 at Philadelphia Country Club on Monday, then had a 78 on Tuesday at Merion and missed the cut with a 152 total, which finished in 245th place. Langdale qualified for the US Amateur by winning the South Carolina Amateur.
Rising Clemson junior Colin Salema had a second round 77 at Philadelphia County Club on Tuesday after an opening round 68 at Merion. His 145 total was 117th.
Former Clemson All-American Stephen Behr Jr. also shot a 68 in the opening round, at Philadelphia Country Club, but he had a 76 at Merion on Tuesday and missed the 64-player cut line. He finished 93rd with a 144 total.