Three Wildcats Set for United States Amateur
LEXINGTON, Ky.– Kentucky men’s golfers Jacob Cook, Cooper Parks and Garrett Wood will be among 312 players at this week’s United States Amateur held at Oakmont Country Club and Longue Vue Club in the Pittsburgh area Aug. 9-15.
Kentucky’s three participants all qualified earlier this summer. Wood won the TPC River Bend’s qualifier on July 12, Cook captured a spot by winning on the opening playoff hole at the Camargo Club July 13 and Parks also earned entrance behind a win during qualifying play on July 21.
The US Amateur is played over a seven-day period. Players will take part in 36 holes of stroke play split with 18 holes at Oakmont and 18 at Longue Vue. The field will then be reduced to 64 players to begin match play on Wednesday. A champion will be crowned following a 36-hole match play championship on Aug. 15. The winner of the amateur will earn exemption into the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club and an exemption into the 2022 Open Championship.
Parks will open play at Longue Vue at 7:50 a.m. ET on Monday. Cook and Wood will open their tournaments at Oakmont. Cook begins at 9 a.m. and Wood tees off at 12:45 p.m.
Cook enjoyed a banner year in 2020-21 for the Wildcats. He earned a career-low 73.26 stroke average as he played in a career-high nine events. He was the only UK player to start in all nine events for the Wildcats this season. Cook logged a career-low round (68) and a career-low score (212) during the season. He also earned a career-best collegiate finish of a tie for 16th at the Kiawah Invitational.
Parks has appeared in 13 collegiate events through two seasons with the Wildcats. He owns a career average of 75.08. Parks has notched eight par-or-better rounds thus far, including a career-low 68 during his sophomore campaign. He also notched a career-low tournament scorecard as a sophomore with a 1-under 215 at the Kiawah Invitational to begin spring action last season. He is also a two-time Academic All-Southeastern Conference Team member.
Wood used the 2020-21 season as a redshirt season and has two years of eligibility remaining for the Wildcats. He has appeared in 24 career collegiate tournaments and owns a 73.45 stroke average. In his first season with the Wildcats in 2019-20, Wood made five appearances and had four starts. He earned a season-best finish with a tie for ninth at the Steelwood Collegiate Invitational. Wood capped his junior campaign as an Early Wave Srixon/Cleveland Golf All-America Scholar.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s golf team, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and on the web at UKathletics.com.
