Golf: Cruz Valle Wins Playoff To Qualify for U.S. Amateur

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LAFAYETTE, La. ? Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns senior golfer Fernando Cruz Valle won a four-hole playoff against Blake Caldwell and Eric Ricard of LSU to qualify for the 116th United States Amateur Championship at a qualifier held at Links on the Bayou in Alexandria, La. earlier this week.
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Cruz Valle beat out both Caldwell and Ricard on the fourth playoff hole after having played 36 holes earlier in the day.
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"It still hasn’t sunk in yet," Cruz Valle said. "To finally qualify after so many years of trying, this is quite an accomplishment for me. I have been trying to reach the U.S. Am since I was in high school, and I came close but wasn’t able to break through. This is a dream come true for me."
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"Fernando has had a solid summer leading into his senior year," head coach Theo Sliman said. "I am proud of him, and can’t wait to see him on that stage. I think this will do nothing but catapult him into a great senior year."
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In his sixth attempt to qualify for the U.S. Amateur, the senior finished the first round of the qualifier in a tie for the lead after carding a score of 66 (-5). Cruz Valle posted a 70 (-1) in the second round to finish in three-way tie for second with Caldwell and Ricard with a 36-hole score of 6-under par (136). �
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The playoff was decided on the par-3 18th hole with play continuing on the hole as long as necessary to determine the final qualifying spot. The trio each registered a score of par on the first two playoff holes.
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On the third time the group played 18, Caldwell was eliminated from contention with a double bogey, while Cruz Valle and Ricard each made par. Cruz Valle was able to tap in for par to beat out Ricard and win the playoff on the fourth attempt on hole 18. ��
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"I went out there and just played a good round with no expectations, and after getting off to a good start in the first round I knew that I had to follow it up with a good second round," Cruz Valle said. "The playoff was a grind having to play four more holes in that heat and after a rain delay, but I was able to grind it out and get a result."
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Both Cruz Valle and Brandon Pierce of LSU advance to the U.S. Amateur Championship at Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield, Michigan to be conducted August 15-21, 2016.
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A field of 312 players will play 18 holes of stroke play on August 15-16 on each of the two qualifying courses, after which the field will be cut to the low 64 scorers.� Six rounds of match play begin on August 17 and the Championship concludes with a 36-hole championship match on Sunday, August 21.
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The Woodlands, Texas native has had a strong summer posting 11 rounds of par of better including five rounds in the 60s. Cruz Valle finished in seventh at the Mexican Amateur earlier this summer, one of four top 25 performances.
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For updates and info on Ragin’ Cajuns golf, follow the team on twitter @CajunGolf or check RaginCajuns.com.
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