Indiana's Drahman Medals, Reddig and Greve Headed Back to U.S. Amateur

July 9, 2019 | 5 min.

 
By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  MENDOTA HEIGHTS, Minn. – On a recruiting trip to northern Minnesota this week, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis assistant coach Vince Drahman found a qualifying site for the 2019 U.S. Amateur that fit into his busy offseason schedule.
 
Drahman fired a round of 4-under par 68 Tuesday at Mendakota Country Club, finishing the first round of play in a share of the lead before posting a 1-under 71 during Tuesday’s afternoon session to earn medalist honors and a trip to his first USGA championship next month at Pinehurst Resort and Country Club.
 
“I love my job and I enjoy being able to play a lot in the summer. I’m playing in a lot of the Indiana events and I was looking for somewhere to play, because I knew I couldn’t qualify in Indiana,” the 26-year-old from Indianapolis said after qualifying Tuesday. “We kind of planned this trip around the [Minnesota Boys’ Junior PGA Championship] and a couple of other events while I was up here and I was able to add a stop to the schedule.
 
“I’m super excited to get through and have the chance to go to Pinehurst. I’ve seen it on TV so many times and I know all the history that’s gone on there from Payne Stewart to so many of the other things. Obviously, I want to go down there and compete, but I just qualified 10 minutes ago, so I don’t really have any expectations at the moment.”
 
Joining Drahman at the championship in North Carolina Aug. 12-18, will be Parker Reddig and Ben Greve, who survived a 3-for-2 playoff with Ian Mackenzie-Olson to earn the final two qualifying positions.
 
Carding one birdie during his opening nine early Tuesday, Drahman rolled in five birdies against two bogeys during his back nine to shoot 68 and take the 18-hole lead. Picking up where he left off when his second round started, Drahman drove the 10th green and two-putted for birdie on his opening hole of the second round.
 
Stepping back with bogeys at the 11th and 13th holes, Drahman rolled in a pair of 8-footers to close out his opening nine in 1-under before carding 10 consecutive pars to post a second-round 71, earning medalist honors at 5-under par 139.
 
Drahman, who serves as assistant for both the men’s and women’s programs at IUPUI, advances to his first U.S. Amateur in his second attempt. He was unsuccessful trying to previously qualify for the U.S. Four-Ball and U.S. Mid-Amateur Championships.

Missing the chance to play at the U.S. Amateur a year ago at Pebble Beach, Drahman said, “Last year I was so close and I felt like I kind of gave it away—I went 67-74 to miss it by two.”
 
 “I felt good after the first round today, I was able to make a few putts and took advantage of the par-5s,” he said. “The second 18 I played well, but I had probably six putts from 10 feet in the last 10 holes where I made all pars. I hit five of them right where I was looking, had a couple lip-outs and a couple that just didn’t go in.
 
“I didn’t think I did enough coming in, I thought I needed one or two more to be safe. I was definitely disappointed walking off the last green because I had a good look at birdie and left it right on the lip.”
 
Chipping in for birdie on the first playoff hole late Tuesday, Reddig earns a ticket to his second consecutive U.S. Amateur Championship, qualifying for last year’s event by shooting 1-under 143 at Olympic Hills Golf Club.
 
“Coming in I’ve been playing well,” Reddig smiled, referring to his runner-up finish at the MGA Players' Championship two weeks ago and followed it by shooting a course and tournament record during the opening round of the Twin Cities Championship, a 9-under par 63 to win the weather-shortened event by eight strokes.
 
“To go back to the U.S. Amateur is awesome. We used to go there for the U.S. Kids’ every year as a family and we haven’t been in about eight years. And we get to play the new [No. 2 course], too, which is great.”
 
Playing an up-and-down opening nine early Tuesday, Reddig would turn in 1-over before carding a pair of birdies and one bogey over his final nine to finish the first 18 holes at even par.
 
Reddig got off to a quick start with two early birdies during the second round, but was hampered by rain, missing a short birdie putt at the 13th before taking back-to-back bogeys at the 14th and 15th. After hitting his tee shot at the 16th, Reddig and the rest of the field were called off the course for a brief rain delay.
 
Following the stoppage, Reddig stuck a 6-iron to eight feet and made his birdie putt to turn in 1-under and would card three more birdies over his final nine holes to finish in a tie for second at 4-under 140.
 
“Ever since my junior year of high school, I’ve been struggling to find my game again. I had a great junior golf career, but I’ve struggled for the past four years. And within the last year, dating back to the [State Amateur], that's when I started to feel pretty good about myself and brought it into the school year.
 
“I’ve learned a lot—I know a lot more about the game and about myself and I’ve really applied that the last few weeks and it’s working. I just want to keep trusting the process and stick to what’s been working.”
  
Reddig, a Minneapolis native, will begin his junior season at Florida State University this fall.

Greve qualifies for his second straight U.S. Amateur Championship after earning medalist on his home course at Olympic Hills Golf Club, shooting 4-under par 140. At the national championship last year, Greve fell during a historic 24-for-1 playoff at the 17th hole at Pebble Beach to miss the cut for match play.
 
On Tuesday, the defending MGA Men’s Player of the Year played a steady opening 18 by carding three birdies with two bogeys to post a 1-under 71. Playing his front nine of the second round at even par, Greve got hot late and rolled in three birdies over his final six holes to finish 36 holes in a tie for second at 140.
 
Greve claimed the final qualifying spot when Mackenzie-Olson was unable to make his short putt for par.
 
Mackenzie-Olson, Plymouth, Minn., and Joe Conzemius, Hastings, Minn., finished as first and second alternates, respectively.

 

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