Five New Yorkers in the Field for the 74th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship

July 22, 2022

BANDON, Ore. -- New York state will be well represented at Bandon Dunes Golf Resort for the 74th U.S. Junior Amateur Championship, which runs from July 25-30. Five players from New York are set to compete in the country's premiere junior tournament: Dean Muratore, of Dix Hills; Sam O'Hara, of Rye; Lucas Rizo Patron, of Rye (originally from Norway); Velton Perry, of Syracuse; and Will Rich, of Briarcliff Manor.

Related: U.S. Junior Homepage / Pairings / Qualifying Results

The U.S. Junior Amateur consists of 36 holes of stroke play on July 25 and 26, after which the 264-player field will be reduced to the low 64 scorers. There will be six rounds of match play, starting July 27. The quarterfinals and semifinals are slated for Friday, July 29. The championship is scheduled to conclude with a 36-hole final on Saturday, July 30. The U.S. Junior Amateur champion receives a full exemption into the 2022 U.S. Open Championship.

The Bandon Dunes Course, in Bandon, Ore., will be set up 7,202 yards and play to a par of 36-36-72. The Bandon Trails Course will be set up at 6,763 yards and play to a par of 36-35-71.

Muratore qualified at Watchung Valley Golf Club in Watchung, N.J. The 15 year old was the medalist firing a 7-under 65. Muratore has back-to-back top-five finishes in the Long Island Junior Championship. He finished tied for second in 2021 and tied for third in 2022. He was named the most valuable player on the St. Anthony's High School golf team for the 2022 season.

O'Hara medaled in the New York State Golf Association conducted qualifier at Teugega Country Club in Rome. He made four birdies with only one bogey to come in at 3-under 67. The Rye Native was the runner-up in the 99th Long Island Amateur Championship in June. In the 2021 New York State Boys' Junior Championship, O'Hara tied for third.

Patron was the qualifying medalist at Rockaway Hunting Club in Lawrence. He was a semifinalist in the 53rd Metropolitan Golf Association Boys' Championship, held at Gardiner's Bay Country Club. In 2020, patron finished fifth in the Met PGA Junior Championship.

Perry clinched the second and final qualifying spot at the Teugega Country Club qualifier in a playoff. In 2018, he tied for fourth in the New York State Boys' Sub-Junior Championship. He was in the field for the 2021 NYS Boys' Junior.

Rich made it into the field after locking up the first alternate position in a playoff at the Rockaway Hunting Club qualifier. This is his second appearance at the U.S. Junior Amateur after qualifying in 2021. He will look to improve on his performance last year, as he was unable to make the cut and advance to match play.

Listed below are the tee times in Pacific Daylight Time for the groups' opening rounds of the U.S. Junior Amateur:

Name RD 1 (PDT) RD 2 (PDT)
Dean Muratore #10 - 8:10 a.m. - BD #1 - 1:25 p.m. - BT 
Sam O'Hara #1 - 8:54 a.m. - BT #10 - 2:09 p.m. - BD 
Lucas Rizo Patron #10 - 7:37 a.m. - BD  #1 - 12:52 p.m. - BT 
Velton Perry #1 - 1:20 p.m. - BD  #10 - 8:10 a.m. - BT  
Will Rich #10 - 7:15 a.m. - BD  #1 - 12:30 p.m. - BT 

 

BD - Bandon Dunes Course
BT - Bandon Trails Course