CHERRY HILLS VILLAGE, Colo. – Fighting Illini rising senior Piercen Hunt and rising junior Jackson Buchanan are each set to represent the Orange & Blue when play opens Monday at the 123rd U.S. Amateur at Cherry Hills Country Club and stroke-play co-host venue Colorado Golf Club.
The Illini duo will be part of a field of 312 competitors vying for the prestigious Havemeyer Trophy. The winner of the U.S. Amateur also earns exemptions from qualifying for the next 10 U.S. Amateurs, an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst, and an exemption into the 2024 Open Championship (as an amateur), plus a likely invitation into the 2024 Masters Tournament (as an amateur).
Hunt punched his ticket with a second-place finish in the qualifier at Hidden Glen Golf Club in Cedarburg, Wis., where he shot 73-69 to finish 2-under and advance by a one-stroke margin. It marks a third consecutive trip to the U.S. Amateur for Hunt who also competed at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club in 2021 and The Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J., last year.
Buchanan, the runner-up at the 2023 NCAA Championship in May, will make his U.S. Amateur debut. The Dacula, Ga., native was co-medalist at the Dataw Island Club on St. Helena Island, S.C., where he carded a 10-under 134 (68-66) to secure one of five spots up for grabs.
Competitors will play 18 holes of stroke play on Monday and Tuesday (one round at each course) before a cut down to 64 for Wednesday's opening round of match play. Thursday features the Round of 32, followed by quarterfinals on Friday, semifinals on Saturday, and culminating with Sunday's 36-hole championship match.
Live television coverage is available Wednesday through Friday on Golf Channel and Peacock. Coverage of Saturday’s semifinal and Sunday’s championship can be found on Golf Channel and NBC.
ILLINI TEE TIMES
Jackson Buchanan
Round 1: 9:39 a.m. CT/8:39 a.m. MT at Cherry Hills Country Club (#1)
Round 2: 3:09 p.m. CT/2:09 p.m. MT at Colorado Golf Club (#10)
Piercen Hunt
Round 1: 2:36 p.m. CT/1:36 p.m. MT at Colorado Golf Club (#10)
Round 2: 9:06 a.m. ET/8:06 a.m. MT at Cherry Hills Country Club (#1)
The Illini duo will be part of a field of 312 competitors vying for the prestigious Havemeyer Trophy. The winner of the U.S. Amateur also earns exemptions from qualifying for the next 10 U.S. Amateurs, an exemption into the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst, and an exemption into the 2024 Open Championship (as an amateur), plus a likely invitation into the 2024 Masters Tournament (as an amateur).
Hunt punched his ticket with a second-place finish in the qualifier at Hidden Glen Golf Club in Cedarburg, Wis., where he shot 73-69 to finish 2-under and advance by a one-stroke margin. It marks a third consecutive trip to the U.S. Amateur for Hunt who also competed at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club in 2021 and The Ridgewood Country Club in Paramus, N.J., last year.
Buchanan, the runner-up at the 2023 NCAA Championship in May, will make his U.S. Amateur debut. The Dacula, Ga., native was co-medalist at the Dataw Island Club on St. Helena Island, S.C., where he carded a 10-under 134 (68-66) to secure one of five spots up for grabs.
Competitors will play 18 holes of stroke play on Monday and Tuesday (one round at each course) before a cut down to 64 for Wednesday's opening round of match play. Thursday features the Round of 32, followed by quarterfinals on Friday, semifinals on Saturday, and culminating with Sunday's 36-hole championship match.
Live television coverage is available Wednesday through Friday on Golf Channel and Peacock. Coverage of Saturday’s semifinal and Sunday’s championship can be found on Golf Channel and NBC.
ILLINI TEE TIMES
Jackson Buchanan
Round 1: 9:39 a.m. CT/8:39 a.m. MT at Cherry Hills Country Club (#1)
Round 2: 3:09 p.m. CT/2:09 p.m. MT at Colorado Golf Club (#10)
Piercen Hunt
Round 1: 2:36 p.m. CT/1:36 p.m. MT at Colorado Golf Club (#10)
Round 2: 9:06 a.m. ET/8:06 a.m. MT at Cherry Hills Country Club (#1)
