CHOCTAW, Miss. — Junior Beck Troutman became the second LSU men’s golfer to earn a spot in the 106th United States Amateur Championship on Tuesday as he finished in second place in a 36-hole qualifier at the Azalea Course at Dancing Rabbit Golf Club.
Troutman battled through the rain to card a 1-over par 73 in Monday’s opening round and rebounded to fire a 3-under 69 in the final round Tuesday for a two-round total of 2-under 142. The Fernwood, Miss., native is set to make his first appearance in the U.S. Amateur after defeating McLain Leberte of Huntsville, Ala., in a one-hole playoff.
“I’m definitely thrilled to have the opportunity to play in a tournament like the U.S. Amateur,” Troutman said. “It’s the biggest tournament in amateur golf, and I’m looking forward to the challenge of competing against the best amateur players in the country. It’ll be a new experience for me and is something I’m happy to be a part of.”
Troutman carded four birdies and an eagle on his back nine Tuesday to force a playoff with Leberte and advanced to the U.S. Amateur by making par on the first playoff hole at the par-five 10th. He said it was hard for him to get into a rhythm during the two-day event but couldn’t be happier with the end result.
“I was a little up and down the past two days because I made 11 birdies and an eagle, but also made 11 bogeys,” Troutman said. “I couldn’t seem to get on any kind of a roll. I’d make a couple birdies in a row then make a bogey or two bogeys. The whole tournament was a roller coaster for me, but I guess it all worked out in the end.”
Troutman believes the conditions made it difficult for the entire field to find a rhythm as rain saturated the course for much of the week. Each participant was forced to play the ball down since the event could not have been considered a qualifier for an event sanctioned by the United States Golf Association had they been allowed to play the ball “lift, clean and place.”
“It’s hard to stay patient, grind it out and keep your concentration when it’s like that,” Troutman said. “I think it was difficult for most of the field. I know it probably affected me a little bit, but in the end I was able to stay focused on what I was doing for the most part and have a good finish.”
Troutman’s entry into the U.S. Amateur comes on the heels of a runner-up finish in the 2006 MGA Mississippi Match Play Championship on Saturday ? a tournament in which he was the defending champion. Troutman has played eight competitive rounds of golf in the last six days and said he feels confident about what he’s doing on the golf course.
“I’m playing really well right now, but I’m still making some mistakes that I probably shouldn’t make,” Troutman said. “If I minimize the number of mistakes I make each round then I would be playing some of the best golf I have to this point. I’ve played a ton of competitive golf over the last week or so and feel really comfortable with what I’m doing right now.”
Troutman joins fellow junior Brian Noonan as two Tigers who are set to represent LSU in the USGA’s most prestigious amateur championship. The U.S. Amateur will be held at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn., from Aug. 21-27.
“Playing in the U.S. Amateur will definitely be a different experience than anything I’ve done up to this point,” Troutman said. “My comfort level might be a little bit different when I’m standing at the first tee at Hazeltine, but I’m going to try and approach that tournament like I would any other. I’m really looking forward to the experience.”