Fresh off his team USA?s win at the Walker Cup, former UK All-American golfer John Holmes is tied for sixth after shooting a 69 in the opening round of the U.S. Amateur Championship at the Merion Golf Club in Ardmore, Pa.

Charlie Beljan leads the pack after shooting a first-round six-under par 64. Four players are tied for second at 68, while Holmes and 11 others stand five shots off the lead with scores of 69.

Holmes racked up three birdies and shot par on 13 holes on the opening day of play. After bogeying the fourth hole, Holmes birdied on number eight to finish even after the first nine. A birdie on 10, followed by another on 13 helped the Campbellsville, Ky., native to a one-under-par 69 to finish the round.

The first and second rounds of stroke play are set for Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 22-23) at Merion Golf Club (East Course) and Philadelphia Country Club (Spring/Mill Course). All match play rounds will be played at Merion Golf Club. A single round of match play is scheduled on Wednesday (Aug. 24), followed by the second and third rounds on Thursday (Aug. 25), and single rounds again from Friday-Sunday (Aug. 26-28).

Following two days of stroke play, the field of 312 golfers will be reduced to the lowest 64 scorers, who will advance to match play. All matches are 18 holes except the final match. The 36-hole championship final match is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 28.

The U.S. Amateur will have 10 hours of live national coverage on The Golf Channel and NBC over the last five days of the championship. The television schedule is as follows:

The Golf Channel
First Round Matches ? Wed. (Aug. 24), 3-5 p.m. (EDT)
Third Round Matches ? Thurs. (Aug. 25), 4-6 p.m. (EDT)
Quarterfinal Matches ? Fri. (Aug. 26), 3-5 p.m. (EDT)

NBC
Semifinal Matches ? Sat. (Aug. 27), 4-6 p.m. (EDT)
Championship Match ? Sun. (Aug. 28), 4-6 p.m. (EDT)