Adams, Herron Earn Qualifying Spots Into U.S. Amateur

View full size image

WAYZATA, MINN. – An hour and forty-five-minute weather delay halted play on a hot day at the 36-hole, U.S. Amateur Qualifying at Wayzata Country Club. The long weather delay and heat did not affect Nate Adams, who shot a two-round total of 134 (65-67), ten-under-par to earn medalist honors and a spot in the field, August 14-20, at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colo. Carson Herron earned the other qualifying spot with a two-round total of 136 (68-68), 8-under-par.

In the last month, Adams, a Maple Grove native and current junior on the North Dakota State golf team, withdrew from the North & South Amateur with heat stroke and the Trans-Mississippi Amateur with signs of heat stroke. With how the previous month had gone, Adams was not as focused on the golf side of things but more focused on doing what he could to complete the qualifier – which took pressure off the golf to be played.

“The most important thing I was looking at was trying to finish and not get overheated. I think that took a little bit of the pressure off trying to qualify for the U.S. Am. But then again, I hit it great today, I made some really nice putts, never really had too much stress,” Adams said.

Adams started the first round off fast birdieing the second and third holes but gave one back with a bogey at the par-3 fourth. He followed the bogey up with back-to-back birdies at the sixth and seventh holes to turn in 3-under par on the front nine. 

He followed up the strong front nine with another pair of birdies at the 11th and 12th holes and an eagle at the par-5 15th for a 7-under-par 65 to take a one-shot lead heading into the second 18 holes.

“The birdies on six and seven really gave me the confidence for the rest of the day. When I hit a good wedge behind the hole on seven and made the downhill putt, that was a moment when I knew I was playing well,” Adams explained.

Adams opened his second 18 strong, going 4-under through the first eight holes to take a six-shot lead at the time. He bogeyed the 18th hole and shot even par on the front nine (his back nine) to claim the medalist spot in the U.S. Amateur by two shots.

He previously qualified for the U.S. Junior Boys’ in 2019 where he missed the match play portion of the event. That experience will help him next month at the championship.

“Now that I have a USGA event under my belt, I have more determination to do better and to give myself a chance to qualify for match play, so I think that will help me having that experience.”

Herron, over the course of the 36 holes, had eight birdies against no bogeys – the only player in the field to go bogey-free over the two rounds. Herron was playing and qualified for the U.S. Amateur at his home course which meant a lot to him.

“It means a lot…it’s hard not to put a lot of pressure on yourself, I have been playing here since I was 10 so to qualify here is special,” Herron said.

Herron, a soon-to-be Junior at the University of New Mexico, played solid all day and didn’t get himself into too much trouble. With the long day and hot weather, he new he needed to stay patient as other golfers would get tired and start making mistakes.

“I haven’t been playing well the last few tournaments and I didn’t want to get down on myself. I didn’t get down on myself today if a putt didn’t go in and I didn’t make a single bogey out there today and I just played really solid.”

Herron shot 2-under-par 34’s on all four of the nines that he played Monday to earn the second qualifying spot by three shots over Ian Meyer and 2022 MGA Amateur champ, Ben Greve to gain entry into his second straight U.S. Amateur, an experience he will not take for granted.

“It means a lot because I worked really hard for this – it felt nice for the hard work to pay off and it will be a great experience towards building my game and getting better each and every day.

“Last year I was way more nervous but this year I won’t be as nervous with that little bit more of experience with (NCAA) nationals and the U.S. Am and all that helps you progress as you keep playing.”

Ian Meyer and Ben Greve had a playoff for the two alternate spots with Ian Meyer claiming the first alternate spot on the first playoff hole.