Hopson Qualifies For U.S. Senior Amateur
8/9/2001 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Aug. 9, 2001
CONTACT: Rob Meyers
NACOGDOCHES, Texas -- Stephen F. Austin State University golf coach Mike Hopson has qualified for the U.S. Senior Amateur Championship after winning the sectional qualifying tournament at Houston's River Oaks Country Club with a round of 69, on Tuesday.
Hopson played in the U.S. Amateur earlier in his career, this marks his first appearance in the senior event. The Lufkin, Texas resident shot a round of 69 to win the qualifier, edging out Houston's Robert Laflen by two shots. Mike Rice of Houston finished third in the qualifying tournament with a round of 73.
Six men qualified for the 47th annual U.S. Senior Amateur to be held September 8-13 at Norwood Hills Country Club in St. Louis, Missouri, from the Houston sectional. The Houston event was one of 52 qualifying tournaments to be held in the next week around the nation. From those tournaments, the field of 156 of the top senior amateurs in the nation will be determined.
The U.S. Senior Amateur Tournament consists of 36-holes of stroke play to determine the top 64 players, who will then advance to a match play tournament over the final three days of competition.
Dr. Hopson, a 1969 graduate of Stephen F. Austin, also holds a PhD from the University of North Texas, and is an assistant professor of eduation at the university. He is entering his second year as the head golf coach at the university.
