Aug. 21, 2009
University Park, Pa. - Four Nittany Lions will compete in the 109th U.S. Amateur Championship beginning Monday, Aug. 24 in Tulsa, Okla. Senior Kevin Foley (Sommerville, N.J.) and senior T.J. Howe (Osceola, Pa.) will begin play on Monday at the Cedar Ridge Country Club while Junior Tommy McDonagh (Wilton, Conn.) and incoming freshman Matt Porter (Cortland, N.Y.) will begin play at Southern Hills Country Club.
Foley, a 2009 PING All-American and a GCAA All-Regional member will tee off at 7:40 a.m. off of the No. 10 tee. Howe will kick things off at the first tee at 2:05 p.m. Porter will tee off of No. 10 at 8:00 a.m. while McDonagh will go off of No. 1 at 1:55 p.m.
Southern Hills Country Club has been host to many USGA Major Championships, most recently hosting the 2001 US Open won by South African Retief Goosen. Southern Hills Country Club will play at 7,093 yards and a par of 35-35--70. Cedar Ridge Country Club, the second course used for stroke play, will play at 7,336 yards and a par of 35-35--70.
The U.S. Amateur will receive 10 hours of television coverage between the Golf Channel and NBC. For the television schedule, admission information, U.S. Amateur history notes and course statistics please visit www.usamateur.org/news/fact_sheet.html.
Live scoring will be available at www.usamateur.com and updated information on Nittany Lion performances will be available at GoPSUSports.com throughout the week.
Coach Nye who begins his 18th season as Head Coach of the Nittany Lions will be available on Wednesday Aug. 26 at Penn State's fall sports media day at the Bryce Jordan Center. Coach Nye will address questions beginning at 12:45 p.m.
The Penn State men's golf team in its entirety will have their first team tournament Sept. 12-13 at the Wolf Run Intercollegiate in Zionsville, IN. The Nittany Lions are familiar with the course and format as they were the 2007 champions atop the 15-team field.
Howe and McDonagh both qualified for the US Amateur in 2007 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Ca. Howe advanced to the round of 32 in that year. Foley, the 2009 Sunnehanna Amateur Champion, and Porter will be making their first US Amateur appearances.