Alex Turner’s dazzling opening nine highlights U.S. Mid-Am Qualifier from Bowling Green.

BOWLING GREEN, KY (August 2, 2022) – Three qualifying spots in this year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship were on the line today at Bowling Green Country Club, the sole qualifier for the event taking place in Kentucky this year. A couple hours into the proceedings, it became evident Alex Turner of Prospect was going to get one of those spots after a remarkable opening nine that led to him receiving medalist honors.

The former collegian at the University of Evansville who now works as a mortgage loan officer started on the 10^th tee and made five birdies and an eagle before registering his first par. One more birdie on the par-five 18^th led to a score of 28 (-8) to start the day and had him well on his way to earning one of the spots in the championship field at Erin Hills in Wisconsin this September.

Turner went on to post 66 (-6), one shot better than a pair of players who secured the other qualifying spots. Taylor Thompson of Louisville earned one of those tickets, using a round of 67 (-5) that contained six birdies to finish in a tie for second. Shooting the same score was Nashville’s Rosario Falzone, who like Thompson made six birdies against just one bogey during his round. They will join Turner in taking the trip to the Badger State next month where the champion will receive exemptions in next year’s Masters Tournament and U.S. Open, among other marquee events.

Two alternates were also determined on Tuesday should spots at Erin Hills become available. Another Nashville product, Cameron Simmons, got the first alternate spot with a round of 69 (-3). Jared Brown, a local resident of Bowling Green, is the second alternate after posting 70 (-2) and edging past State Open champion Trey Bowling in a playoff.

NOTES & STATS

• Tino Rugerio of Roswell, Georgia made a hole-in-one on the par-three 7^th. He went on to shoot 73 (+1) which led to a T13 finish.
• Three other eagles were made during the qualifier. Turner making one on the par-five 14^th was part of his torrid opening stretch, joining Spencer Provow with big birds on that hole. Jordan Blann made the lone eagle on the par-five 5^th.
• Hole 14 was the easiest hole of the day with 25 birdies going alongside the eagles from Turner and Provow. It played to a stroke-to-par average of -0.25.
• The previous hole, the par-three 13^th, was the hardest of the event. More than half the field made bogey or worse as it played +0.53.
• It was the inward half that played easier for the day, averaging 37.73 strokes (+1.73) compared to 38.09 (+2.09) on the front. 75.82 (+3.82) was the overall course average.

Click here to view the final results

Click here to view other U.S. Mid-Am Qualifier results

The Kentucky Golf Association extends its thanks to Daniel Soehren, PGA Head Golf Professional and the entire staff at Bowling Green Country Club for their assistance in conducting today’s Qualifier. Additionally, the KGA lends its appreciation to each player who competed in the event.

Many of today’s competitors will be in action at the State Mid-Am this fall in one of the season’s final major tournaments. The Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Mid-Am takes place in Louisville on October 10-11 with registration available by clicking here.

The next USGA Qualifier on the KGA’s schedule will be for female mid-amateurs on Thursday, August 25 when players tee it up at Wildwood Country Club with spots in the U.S. Women’s Mid-Am on the line.

About the Kentucky Golf Association:
The Kentucky Golf Association (KGA) is one of the three organizations encompassed under Golf House Kentucky, in addition to the Kentucky Golf Foundation (KGF) and Kentucky PGA Section (KPGA). The Kentucky Golf Association represents the amateur body of Kentucky’s golfers working in assistance with the United States Golf Association (USGA). The KGA provides a wide range of services, including handicapping, USGA course and slope ratings, and tournament management software to its Member Clubs. The KGA also operates the state’s premier amateur tournaments along with USGA National Championship qualifiers. Alongside the KGF and KPGA, the KGA strives to promote the benefits and enjoyment of golf while continuing to grow the sport across the Commonwealth.

Media Contact:
Ethan Fisher, PGA | Golf House Kentucky | efisher@kygolf.org | (502) 792-9703