UNCP's McCurry Wins U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifier

SOUTHERN PINES – UNCP senior-to-be Jonathan McCurry carded rounds of 64 and 70 en route to capturing the USGA Amateur Sectional Qualifier Championship by three strokes on Tuesday at the Hyland Golf Club in Southern Pines.

The Sanford native topped a list of 85 individuals at the tournament with the top three place winners securing a spot at the 2011 U.S. Amateur Tournament on August 22-28 at Erin Hills and Blue Mound Golf & Country Club in Hartford, Wis. The course is located about 40 miles northwest of Milwaukee. The championship is open to amateur golfers who hold a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 2.4. The USGA accepted 6,256 entries in 2011 and the record number of entrants is 7,920, in 1999.

“I am very excited for Jon and the way he represented UNCP golf earlier this week,” said UNCP head golf coach David Synan. “This will make three appearances over the last four seasons that we have had a UNCP golfer compete in the U.S. Amateur. Having UNCP golfers in the USGA major amateur tournaments shows how talented our golf program is.”

This will be McCurry’s second appearance at a major USGA Amateur event after qualifying for the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship last summer. He defeated Nick Taylor 4-and-2 in the opening round of the tournament but fell to former Georgia all-American Harris English 7-and-5 in the round of 32.

McCurry finished fifth in the Peach Belt Conference and second on the Braves with a 73.2 stroke average through 28 rounds of competition. He was named First Team All-PBC and was a member of the PBC All-Tournament team after finishing tied for fourth at the 2011 PBC Championships. McCurry concluded his junior campaign by being named one of 45 athletes named to the Golf Coaches Association of America (GCAA)/PING All-America team. He registered five top-five finishes and recorded a 660-167 win-loss record in 2010-2011.