FightingIllini.com
The Official Home of University of Illinois Athletics
- Men's Sports
- MEN'S SPORTS
- Baseball
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Football
- Golf
- WOMEN'S SPORTS
- Basketball
- Cheerleading
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Soccer
  |
|
Clayton Parkhill is -2 after 36 holes of the Illinois State Amateur in Tuscola.
|
Aug. 15, 2007
Champaign, Ill. - Prior to August 5, Illinois golfer Clayton Parkhill admitted that his game needed a little boost. But on that day, he fired a 65 to win the Men's Twin City Golf Championship in Champaign-Urbana. The next two days he fired rounds of 67-68 at the Illini Country Club in Springfield to win the U.S. Amateur Qualifier.
"Since then, my game has been on a roll," Parkhill said. "It's amazing how much one round can make a difference in your swing."
Parkhill joins teammate Jon Krick at the U.S. Amateur August 20-26 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. The first two days will be stroke play with the top 64 players then qualifying for match play starting Aug. 22. The Golf Channel will provide coverage on Aug. 22 from 3-5 p.m. CDT and Aug. 23 from 5:30-7:30 p.m. The quarterfinals will also be on the Golf Channel from 7:30-9:30 p.m. while NBC has the semifinals and finals Aug. 25-26 from 3-5 p.m.
Parkhill and Krick qualified for the Western Amateur and are joining current teammates Zach Barlow and Andy Shiels this week at the Illinois State Amateur in Tuscola. Barlow is in a tie for second at the Illinois Amateur after 36 holes. He fired a five-under par 66 today and sits -7 heading into tomorrow's third and fourth rounds. Parkhill is tied for 13th at -2 and Krick is tied for 17th at -1. All three of those players made the cut.
Krick joined head coach Mike Small at the Illinois Open last week.
"It was a lot fun," Krick said on playing in the same tournament as his head coach. "You get to play with him all the time in practice and give him a hard time. It was cool to battle with him in an actual tournament where he's taking it seriously and you are too. I have nothing but the utmost respect for his game and the type of player and person that he is."
Krick has played the U.S. Amateur course competitively once before at a previous U.S. Junior Nationals. He says the Olympic Club is deceptively tough. "It's only 6900 yards and has no water hazards, but it plays tougher than any other U.S. Amateur," said Krick. "It's one of those old fashioned courses, yet it's one of the hardest courses in America. It's a true test of your shot-making ability."
As far as his game is concerned, Krick said, "The biggest thing I've been working on is just closing out my round a little better. At the qualifier, I birdied three of my last four holes. To shoot 69 and battle for that tournament was big for me."
Both players feel the momentum that they and the rest of the their teammates are taking into the school year. "In the summer, you play against some of the best players in the nation and compare yourself," Krick said. "If one person is playing well, it inspires you to get your game up."
"We just want to carry this into the school year," Parkhill said. "I am confident this is going to be a great year with the way everyone has been competing this summer."
