Clayton State's Wilcox Qualifies for U.S. Amateur Championship
ATLANTA - July 23, 2008 – He’s won a conference
championship, earned first team All-American honors and captured
his home state’s amateur championship - all this spring. Now,
Clayton State’s Will Wilcox is heading for the ultimate of
amateur tournaments next month - the U.S. Amateur Championship.
The Lakers’ rising senior first team Division II All-American
qualifed for the U.S. Amateur on Wednesday in the local Amateur
qualifier at Piedmont Driving Club. Wilcox needed some late heroics
and won a playoff to qualify. Up next for Wilcox, a native of Pell
City, Ala., is the 108th U.S. Amateur Championship on Aug. 18-24 at
the fabeled Donald Ross-designed Pinehurst No. 2 Course at the
Pinehurst Resort in Pinehurst, N.C.
Wilcox shot two straight rounds of 70 to finish 2-under-par 140. He
finished tied for fifth overall, two strokes behind qualifier
winner Mark Silvers from South Carolina. Kentucky’s Brad
Doster and Alabama’s Matthew Swan finished as part of a
three-way tie for second at 3-under 139.
Needing a birdie to force a playoff, Wilcox came through with a
birdie on hole No. 18 to force a playoff with Peach Belt Conference
rival Michael Hicks from Columbus State and Scott Davenport from
Marietta, Ga. On the first playoff hole, Wilcox recorded a birdie
and Davenport made par to qualify, while Hicks bogeyed and is one
of two alternates for the U.S. Amateur.
In addition to Wilcox, Clayton State teammate Wade Binfield also
competed and made the cut at the local qualifier. He finished with
a 9-over 151 (75-76).