Frogs at U.S. Amateur: Turner MacLean
8/9/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
Tournament Homepage | Frogs at U.S. Amateur: Chelso Barrett
TCU men's golfers Chelso Barrett and Turner MacLean will play in the U.S. Amateur next week, the world's premier amateur golf tournament. Before they make the trip to historic Oakland Hills Country Club, GoFrogs.com caught up with both.
"I've always known that I could do things like this, but qualifying for the U.S. Amateur definitely proves it to myself."
It didn't take long for that confidence to turn into results for TCU sophomore men's golfer Turner MacLean, who has broken through in just his second attempt to qualify for the U.S. Amateur.
The Fort Worth native teed off at Mira Vista Country Club in his hometown in the early hours of the morning on July 5, and after playing 36 demanding holes in less than 10 hours, his amateur golfing life had changed.
MacLean fired a 2-under 68 in his first round, took a 45-mintue break, then shot a 2-over 72 in his second round, tying him for first place in the 78-player field and punching his ticket to one of golf's biggest stages.
"U.S. Amateur qualifying is a grueling test that definitely identifies the best players," MacLean said of his day at Mira Vista.
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Now MacLean will take that confidence to Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., where the world's top amateur golfers will be waiting. The 116th U.S. Amateur field will feature the top 50 players in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and sectional qualifiers from throughout the U.S.
The tournament, which begins on Monday, features two rounds of stroke play, followed by the top 64 players entering into a single-elimination match play bracket. FS1 and Fox will have coverage of the event, starting on Wednesday, August 17, when match play begins and running through Sunday, August 21, when a champion is crowned.
That champion will be exempt to play in all of next year's majors except the PGA Championship, while the runner-up will be exempt to play in the U.S. Open and the Masters.
For MacLean, it's all about playing his best golf and cherishing the moment with his family.
"My goal is to have as much fun as I can with my brother (Mack) on the bag," he said. "If I play my best golf, I go in thinking I can win. You have to have that mindset. Anything else and you are selling yourself short. A lot of really good players never qualify for this event, so my brother and I will enjoy every minute of it."
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No matter the result, an impact will be made next week at Oakland Hills, where six U.S. Opens, three PGA Championships and a Ryder Cup have been contested through the years.
"This is a great opportunity for Turner," TCU head coach Bill Montigel said. "He has a great personality and a lot of potential. As he gets more experienced, Turner should really improve and be a mainstay in our lineup."
MacLean will also have the TCU ramifications in the back of his own mind.
"I've put in hard work to get here, so it allows me to have that little bit of extra confidence going into this fall season. Wherever we go as a team, I'll know that I've been on the biggest stage of them all."
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MacLean won't be the only Horned Frog on the course next week. The sophomore will be joined at Oakland Hills by his senior teammate, Chelso Barrett. Unlike MacLean, who is a U.S. Amateur rookie, Barrett is very experienced on the national stage.
"Chelso is such a great leader for our team," MacLean said. "Not just in the way he performs on the course, but also as a role model. He's played in so many events like this, so I will for sure look for his advice."
"I was really happy when Turner qualified," Barrett said. "He's incredibly talented and this level of golf will be a good experience for him."
For a look into Barrett's journey into USGA golf and his battles with some of golf's biggest names, check back with GoFrogs.com later this week.
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