Stanley, Byrd Head to US Amateur

Aug. 8, 2006

Clemson, SC-Clemson freshman Kyle Stanley and Tiger assistant coach Jordan Byrd have both qualified for the United States Amateur. The championship will be held August 21-27 in Chaska, MN at Hazeltine Golf Club. The event features 36 holes of qualifying on August 21-22, then the top 64 players move into the match play aspect of the tournament.

Both Stanley and Byrd won their sectional qualifying for the event. On Monday, Stanley had consecutive rounds of 68 for a 136 total in gaining victory at Annandale Golf Club in Pasadena, CA. Byrd qualified earlier in the month with a 133 total for 36 holes at Columbia Country Club in Columbia, SC. Byrd won that qualifying by five shots.

Both Stanley and Byrd have had outstanding summers. Stanley won a four-man playoff with a pair of eagles over a three-hole span, to capture the Sahalee Players Amateur Championship in Sammamish, WA on July 7. He also won the Southern Amateur in Birmingham, AL later in he month was named the National Amateur player of the month.

Byrd won the South Carolina Golf Association Father-Son competition with his father Jim Byrd in July and finished second at the South Carolina Amateur this past weekend.

Stanley and Byrd will both be attempting to duplicate the accomplishment of Chris Patton at the 1989 US Amateur. Patton is the only golfer with ties to Clemson to win the event. He captured the tournament just prior to his senior year at Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, PA. The victory qualified Patton to play in the Master’s, US Open and British Open in 1990.