Kuehne Hoping To Add To Family Golf Legacy At U.S. Amateur

Oakmont , Pa. – Trip Kuehne, 31, of Dallas, Texas, and Bill Hurley, 21, of Leesburg, Va., each posted 36-hole totals of 1-under-par 139 to lead the field at the mid-way point of the second day of stroke play at the U.S. Amateur Championship being played at Oakmont Country Club and nearby Pittsburgh Field Club.  

Among those who have finished, Brock Mackenzie, 22, of Yakima, Wash., and Camilo Villegas, 20, of Colombia, are a stroke back at 140. Four more are at 1-over 141, including Ryan Moore, 20, of Puyallup, Wash., who led with his 65 after the first day.

Following Tuesday, the field of 312 will be trimmed to the low 64 scorers who will advance to match play. Play continues Wednesday with the first round of match play. The championship runs through Sunday.

Kuehne played the first of his four Amateurs as a collegian in 1994 where he squandered a 6-up lead and lost in the final match to Tiger Woods. He caddied for his brother, Hank, when he won the 1998 Amateur. His sister, Kelli , is a two-time U.S. Women’s Amateur champion.

"There’s one more thing to do in my amateur career, and that’s for me to win a USGA title,” said Trip, who works as a stock analyst. “Then I can ride off into the sunset. There’s one more notch for the Kuehne family in amateur golf.  

"It’s a long shot, but it’s a worthy goal, and it’s everything I’ve thought about when I re-dedicated myself two years ago to see how good I could be, said the long-hitting oldest of the three. “It’s what drives me when I don’t feel like practicing or working out.”

Kuehne, who was low amateur at this summer’s U.S. Open where he shot a third round 67, played Oakmont to even par 70 on Tuesday, reaching the two 600-yard par 5s in two.  One he eagled the other he birdied.

"I think I’m a better player now than back then (1994),” said Kuehne. “I’m more in control now. Back then I took golf for granted because I had a lot of God-given ability.”

Moore, who made the cut at the 2003 Masters, was looking like the clear-cut medalist until he went 6-over on his last nine holes.

“Unfortunately, I had the thought in my head that I could bogey the last nine holes and still make the cut,” said Moore . “I probably shouldn’t have thought that.”

Kuehne and Moore are two of the eight players already named to the USA Walker Cup team that will play against a team from Great Britain and Ireland next month. Another Walker-Cupper certain to advance to match play is Adam Rubinson, 23, of Ft. Worth, Texas, who is in at 3-over 143.  

Greg Reynolds, 56, of Grand Blanc, Mich., the reigning USGA Senior Amateur champion, stands a good chance of joining the field in match play on Wednesday. He finished at 6-over 146.

The Amateur is one of 13 national championships conducted by the United States Golf Association annually, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.