Ellis Qualifies for US Am

(UMAA) MADISON, Miss. – Ole Miss senior Kyle Ellis followed up Monday’s 68 with a 6-under 66 to earn a berth in the 107th U.S. Amateur Championship and claim medalist honors as well in the U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifier at Reunion Golf Club Tuesday.

With temperatures soaring to nearly 100 degrees, Ellis, a native of Senatobia, finished five better than Jackson native, Trey Denton (139), who plays for Arizona. The sectional qualifier at Reunion Golf Club awarded two golfers the chance to compete in the nation’s premier amateur championship.

“We are very excited for Kyle,” head coach Ernest Ross said. “This is two out of the last three years he has qualified for the U.S. Amateur. It will be an absolute fantastic experience to play the Olympic Club. It is one of the most beautiful venues in the world for golf.”

“It was a good week,” Ellis said. “I’ve been practicing all summer for this. This was my main goal, to qualify for the U.S. Amateur. I am playing well right now. All the hard work is paying off. I’ve heard a lot about how good the course (Olympic Club) is, and I know it has a lot of history. My family is going to go with me, so I am looking forward to a great time.”

The 107th U.S. Amateur Championship will be held at The Olympic Club in San Francisco from Aug. 20-26. The course has played host to four U.S. Open Championships in its illustrious history with two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Janzen winning the most recent tournament in 1998.