University of Tennessee Athletics
Vols Find Success at US Amateur
August 15, 2012 | Men's Golf
Aug. 15, 2012
DENVER, Colo.
Tennessee men's golfers Oliver Goss, Rick Lamb and Chad Merzbacher qualified for the Aug. 13th-19th US Amateur Championship in Cherry Hills in Denver, Colo.
On Tuesday, two of the three Volunteer golfers, Goss and Lamb, made the cut after Stroke Play qualifying. Both Goss and Lamb finished in the top 7 of the field to advance to Match Play Wednesday afternoon. Both golfers closed Stroke Play at 3 under par.
Goss, a native of Perth, Australia, is the top Australian qualifier in the US Amateur. Goss finished qualifying in a tie for 7th place following a second round 4-under par 66. His 72-66 had him at 3-under par. His solid play at the US Am is something that the Volunteers are certainly excited about.
"Oliver is the highest ranked player we have recruited to the University of Tennessee," UT head coach Jim Kelsonsaid. "He certainly possesses all of the tools to excel in intercollegiate golf. We look forward to helping Oliver reach all of his goals and aspirations".
The Perth National Squad member, who is a top 50 points leader in the World Amateur Golf Rankings, is considered one of the finest young golfers in the world. He is the winner of the prestigious 2012 Western Australian Amateur. Goss has complied an extensive resume as an amateur player. He finished tied for second in stroke play portion at the 2012 Australian Amateur ad tied for fifth in 2012 Malaysian Amateur Open.
Lamb, who completed his first season with the Vols this past year, also qualified after the first two rounds of Stroke Play. He finished qualifying in a tie for 7th place following a second round par 70. His 68-70 had him at 3-under par.
Lamb is a transfer from Santa Clara, who won his first collegiate tournament and helped Tennessee break a 2-year victory drought at Yale Spring Opener this past year. Following his heroics at the Yale Spring Opener, Lamb would finish sixth at the SEC Tournament.
The first round of Match Play will be played Wednesday with Goss matched against Eli Cole, Los Angeles, Calif., and Lamb against Patrick Newcomb, Benton, Ky. Follow updates here.
The 2012-13 Volunteer Men's Golf schedule has just been released and can be found by clicking here.
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