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U.S. Amateur Final Qualifier: A Victory Lap Q & A

Utah’s U.S. Amateur Final Qualifier took place on July 23rd at The Country Club, the historic venue near Salt Lake City. Hosted by the Utah Golf Association, the event saw Oscar Maxfield and Max Brenchley tying for medalist honors, both carding rounds of 1-under 70 on a tough course set up in a field of 12 players. Tyson Shelley secured the third qualifying spot with a solid even-par 71.

This year’s U.S. Amateur Championship will be held at the renowned Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minnesota, from August 12-18. Notably, the USGA has revamped the qualifying model for the U.S. Amateur, shifting from the traditional same day 36-hole format to a two-stage process. Competitors faced an 18-hole Local Qualifying round, with successful players advancing to another 18-hole Final Qualifying round at another course. This year, Utah was chosen as a site for Final Qualifying, underscoring the state’s prominence in the USGA community.

Following Monday’s competition we caught up with Oscar, Max and Tyson for a “Victory Lap Q & A”

Q: How do you feel knowing you’ll be playing in the U.S. Amateur Championship?

Oscar: “It feels great! Qualifying for the US Am has been a goal of mine for a long time and I couldn’t be more excited for the week.”

Max: “I’m super excited to be playing in the US Amateur. This is my first time playing in the event and it’s been a life long goal of mine to play in it so I’m really excited.”

Tyson: “I feel great. This will be my first US AM, so I am super excited and looking forward to this event. My goal every year is to qualify for the US AM and it just feels great that I was able to accomplish that goal this year.”

Oscar Maxfield

Q: Did you like the USGA’s new qualifying process this year?

Oscar: “I think there are pros and cons to the new qualifying system. Going forward, if Utah is guaranteed a final qualifier every year then I do like the change because I think it is more accurate in determining the players consistently playing the best golf. However, as I rapidly approach my mid-am career, I would probably prefer one 36-hole local qualifier over having to travel and take days off of work to play a final qualifier out of the state.”

Max: “The qualifying process was a different for sure. I think that your chances of making it are much higher if you can get past that first round, which I like.”

Tyson: “I do like the different qualifying process. Normally it’s a full field with two spots, but this year having three spots with 12 players was such an advantage.”

Max Brenchley

Q: Have you played Hazeltine National Golf Club before? What are you looking forward to?

Oscar: “I have never played Hazeltine, I vaguely remember the course from watching the 2016 Ryder Cup but I expect it to play very long and difficult like any USGA event. There is so much to look forward to anytime you get the opportunity to compete in a USGA Championship, every event they run is world-class. I think what I’m looking forward to most is competing against the best amateurs in the world and seeing how my game stacks up that week.”

Max: “I’ve never played Hazeltine but hear it is amazing, obviously. I’m excited to see how the USGA has it set up and see the shape it will be in. It will be fun to play a course that has hosted so many great tournaments.”

Tyson: “I have never played Hazeltine but I am super excited for it. I’m looking forward to playing a championship style golf course. I hear the rough is going to be very long and greens very fast, so I am excited to be able to play this Championship style golf course.”

Tyson Shelley

Q: What were you most happy with today?

Oscar: “I was really pleased with how I did on and around the greens. I didn’t hit it awesome today but I kept myself in it with my short game and really just managed myself around the golf course to post a score.”

Max: “I was most happy with my discipline today. The course was set up tough with some really tough pins and throughout the day I just stayed really patient, hit the middle of the greens, made a lot of pars, and then birdied when the opportunities came up.”

Tyson: “Today, I would say I was most happy with my putter. I rolled in great putts today and was confident with it all day.”

Other Utahns joining Oscar, Max and Tyson at Hazeltine National for this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship will be Utah State Amateur champion Cole Ponich, Zac Jones (WAGR exemption), and Arizona State commit Bowen Mauss who made it through a Final Qualifier stage out-of-state.

Players moving on from the 2024 U.S. Amateur Final Qualifier at The Country Club: (L-R) Tyson Shelley, Max Brenchley and Oscar Maxfield.

Click here for the U.S. Amateur Final Qualifier leaderboard from The Country Club.

Photos and story provided by Fairways Media/Randy Dodson.