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U.S. Open: Amateur Champ Uihlein trys to buck recent trend
BETHESDA, MD (June 16, 2011) -- In the past six U.S. Opens the reigning U.S. Amateur champions have done no better than a tie for for 57th place, making just one cut. A few bold souls, Danny Lee in 2009 and Colt Knost in 2008 abandoned their right to play by turning pro.

Peter Uihlein hopes to buck this trend and he is well on his way after a solid performance today that resulted in a +1 score of 72.

It could have gone the other way, in fact he was on that road to disaster with a double bogey on the first hole and a bogey on the fourth.

“At 3-over through 4, if you’d told me I’d shoot 72 I’d take it – regardless of how I got it,” he said.

A hole out from the fairway on the next hole, the par-4 fifth, got him started followed up by a birdie on the par-4 eighth hole.

“I was really nervous to start,” said Uihlein. “I made an awful double on the first hole. After I made that eagle, I was able to get a little more comfortable and played okay from there on out.”

Uihlein sits in a tie for 34th with fellow amatuer Brad Benjamin from Rockford, Ill. Benjamin had an equally bumpy ride to a 72 with five bogeys and one double offset by 6 birdies.

Russell Henley, the University of Georgia grad that has already beaten a full field of Nationwide pros at this year's Stadion Classic, carded a steady round of 73 with just three bogeys and one birdie.

Cheng-Tsung Pan, the Chinese Tapei native is tied for 64th place with a score of 74 on the tough par-71 Congressional layout.

Patrick Cantlay, the touted UCLA freshman shot 75 while Chris Williams from Moscow Idaho and the 16- year-old Beau Hossler from Mission Viejo, Calif. went around in 76.

Brett Patterson from McMinnville, Tenn. carded 77 and Steve Irwin, son of the three-time U.S. Open Champion Hale Irwin carded 78.

Scott Pinckney from Scottsdale, Ariz. was even on the first nine holes but struggle on the more difficult back to post a 79.

David Chung, the Stanford Senior and U.S. Amateur runner up, posted 82 and the St. Petersburg law school grad Michael Barbosa shot 83.

Results: U.S. Open Golf Championship
T21CAPatrick CantlayLos Alamitos, CA80075-67-70-72--284
T42GARussell HenleyMacon, GA50073-69-71-75--288
72ILBrad BenjaminRockford, IL50072-73-80-80--305

View full results for U.S. Open Golf Championship

ABOUT THE U.S. Open Golf Championship

The U.S. Open is the biggest of the 15 national championships conducted by the USGA. Open to amateurs and professionals. Amateurs gain entry via USGA win or runner-up finishes while having the opportunity to qualify alongside non-exempt professionals in an 18-hole "Local' qualifying followed by 36-hole "Final" qualifying which is affectionately known as golf's longest day. Highly-ranked amateurs will be exempted past the 18-hole Local Qualifying. See the USGA website for details. And if you are exempt on any level be sure to apply by the deadline anyway.

The USGA intends to make the U.S. Open the most rigorous, yet fair, examination of golf skills, testing all forms of shot-making. The USGA prepares the course after careful consideration of 14 different factors.

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