HOT SPRINGS — Cabot’s Colby Benton shot 1 over par Tuesday and grabbed a spot in the U.S. Junior Amateur.
Benton shot 74-71-145 at Hot Springs Country Club’s Arlington Course to get one of two available spots at qualifying. The other spot went to Reid Holly of Madison, Miss., who was the medalist after shooting 4-under 140.
They advance to play July 19-24 at Egypt Valley Country Club in Ada, Mich.
“This really means a lot to me,” Benton said. “I hit the ball pretty good, but I made a couple of good putts. I had my brother, Nick, on the bag, and he can read greens like no other. I just lined it up and he said, ‘Yeah,’ and it was in the hole.”
Benton and Holly will be making their first appearance in a United States Golf Association national event.
“I’ve been wanting to do this forever,” said Holly, who shot 69-71-140. “I really just didn’t get into any trouble. I hit a lot of fairways and a lot of greens.”
Benton shot 37 on the front nine and 37 on the back nine in the morning to go 2 over for his opening round.
“It rained for a good, solid hour,” Benton said. “It was nasty. The three or four holes that it really came down were really tough.”
He made bogeys on the third and fifth holes and a birdie on the sixth hole.
With Holly shooting a 69 in the morning, Benton knew he was clinging to the final qualifying spot.
“I figured he’d shoot under par at worst. I thought if I could shoot something around even I’d have a chance,” Benton said.
With the rain stopped and the greens a bit softer, Benton birdied the second, sixth and eighth holes to reach 1 under. But he made the turn at even par after a bogey on nine.
Benton bogeyed the 12th and 15th holes and birdied the 14th.
Holly’s only miscue came in the rain during his opening round. After bogeying the third hole, he came back with birdies on the sixth and ninth holes to shoot 35. He made birdies at 15 and 18 on the back nine to shoot 34 and a round of 3-under 69.
After an even-par 36 on the front nine in the afternoon, he shot 1-under 35 on the back nine to lock up medalist honors.
“This is easily one of the toughest qualifiers you can play in anywhere,” Holly said. “Everybody tries to play. It’s just the hardest golf tournament to get into. It’s really an honor.”USGA U.S. Junior Amateur qualifying
Sports, Pages 24 on 06/30/2010