USC boasts eight Trojans in 2017 U.S. Amateur.
Impressive Eight Trojans Set For 2017 U.S. Amateur In L.A.
August 11, 2017 | Men's Golf, Features
USC golfers kick off action at The Riviera and Bel-Air starting Monday.
The USC men's golf team – coming off of three consecutive trips to the NCAA Championships match play eight-team bracket – boasts a whopping eight Trojans in the 2017 U.S. Amateur set for Aug. 14-20 at the The Riviera C.C. in Pacific Palisades, Calif., and stroke-play co-host Bel-Air C.C. in L.A.
The eight USC golfers – current, former and incoming – in the 312-player field include four from the 2017-18 squad in senior Jonah Texeira, junior Justin Suh, sophomore Cheng Jin and freshman Kaito Onishi.
Also competing under the Cardinal and Gold flag will be Sean Crocker, playing in what could be his final amateur event after departing the Trojans as a 2017 junior, 2017 Trojan graduates Andrew Levitt and Daniel Ochoa, and former Trojan Stewart Hagestad.
Said USC Coach Chris Zambri, who is entering his 12th year as the Trojans' head coach: "I couldn't be more proud and excited to have eight Trojans competing in a U.S. Amateur being hosted in Los Angeles. We're hoping for an all USC quarterfinal."
Hagestad, the 2013 USC graduate and former walk-on, is competing in his eighth U.S. Amateur, tied for the fourth most in the field. The 2017 Masters Low Amateur claimed his berth three ways, as a 2017 U.S. Open qualifier, the 2016 U.S. Mid-Am champion and with his Top 50 in World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Crocker, a three-time All-American, got in thanks to his run as a 2015 U.S. Amateur semifinalist and his top 50 ranking while the All-American Texeira got in with his finish as a 2016 U.S. Amateur semifinalist. Jin, a 2016 Masters veteran, is in with his top 50 ranking as well.
Levitt, a two-time NCAA Championships participant for the Trojans, and Ochoa qualified at Hillcrest C.C. in L.A. All-American Suh won his qualifier at Bayonet Black Horse in Monterey, Calif., while Onishi qualified at Black Diamond Ranch in Bradenton, Fla.
Two stroke play rounds at The Riviera and Bel-Air are set for Monday and Tuesday with the top 64 players advancing to match play, starting Wednesday. Two match play rounds Thursday will set the quarterfinals for Friday, with semifinals Saturday and a 36-hole Championships Match set for Sunday.
Fox Sports 1 will air coverage of the round of 64 beginning at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, at 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday, at 9 a.m. on Saturday and at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.
USC's Monday tee times include Levitt (7 a.m.), Hagestad (8:45 a.m.), Ochoa (12:25 p.m.), Suh (1:18 p.m.) and Cheng Jin (2:21 p.m.) at Bel Air and Texeira (7:21 a.m.), Onishi (8:21 a.m.) and Crocker (8:24 a.m.) at Riviera.
Tuesday's tee times for the Trojans feature Texeira (12:36 p.m.), Onishi (1:18 p.m.) and Crocker (1:39 p.m.) at Bel Air with Ochoa (7:10 a.m.), Suh (8:03 a.m.), Jin (9:06 a.m.), Levitt (12:15 p.m.) and Hagestad (2 p.m.) at Riviera.
The eight USC golfers – current, former and incoming – in the 312-player field include four from the 2017-18 squad in senior Jonah Texeira, junior Justin Suh, sophomore Cheng Jin and freshman Kaito Onishi.
Also competing under the Cardinal and Gold flag will be Sean Crocker, playing in what could be his final amateur event after departing the Trojans as a 2017 junior, 2017 Trojan graduates Andrew Levitt and Daniel Ochoa, and former Trojan Stewart Hagestad.
Said USC Coach Chris Zambri, who is entering his 12th year as the Trojans' head coach: "I couldn't be more proud and excited to have eight Trojans competing in a U.S. Amateur being hosted in Los Angeles. We're hoping for an all USC quarterfinal."
Hagestad, the 2013 USC graduate and former walk-on, is competing in his eighth U.S. Amateur, tied for the fourth most in the field. The 2017 Masters Low Amateur claimed his berth three ways, as a 2017 U.S. Open qualifier, the 2016 U.S. Mid-Am champion and with his Top 50 in World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Crocker, a three-time All-American, got in thanks to his run as a 2015 U.S. Amateur semifinalist and his top 50 ranking while the All-American Texeira got in with his finish as a 2016 U.S. Amateur semifinalist. Jin, a 2016 Masters veteran, is in with his top 50 ranking as well.
Levitt, a two-time NCAA Championships participant for the Trojans, and Ochoa qualified at Hillcrest C.C. in L.A. All-American Suh won his qualifier at Bayonet Black Horse in Monterey, Calif., while Onishi qualified at Black Diamond Ranch in Bradenton, Fla.
Two stroke play rounds at The Riviera and Bel-Air are set for Monday and Tuesday with the top 64 players advancing to match play, starting Wednesday. Two match play rounds Thursday will set the quarterfinals for Friday, with semifinals Saturday and a 36-hole Championships Match set for Sunday.
Fox Sports 1 will air coverage of the round of 64 beginning at 2 p.m. on Wednesday, at 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday, at 9 a.m. on Saturday and at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.
USC's Monday tee times include Levitt (7 a.m.), Hagestad (8:45 a.m.), Ochoa (12:25 p.m.), Suh (1:18 p.m.) and Cheng Jin (2:21 p.m.) at Bel Air and Texeira (7:21 a.m.), Onishi (8:21 a.m.) and Crocker (8:24 a.m.) at Riviera.
Tuesday's tee times for the Trojans feature Texeira (12:36 p.m.), Onishi (1:18 p.m.) and Crocker (1:39 p.m.) at Bel Air with Ochoa (7:10 a.m.), Suh (8:03 a.m.), Jin (9:06 a.m.), Levitt (12:15 p.m.) and Hagestad (2 p.m.) at Riviera.
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