July 9, 2009

Champaign, Ill. - Illinois senior Zach Barlow and sophomore Luke Guthrie are headed to Norman, Okla., this week to participate in the 84th U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. The 2009 event will be held July 13-18 at the Jimmie Austin/Oklahoma University Golf Club.

Guthrie won this qualifying tournament on June 26 with a 36-hole score of 137 at the Lick Creek Golf Course in Pekin, Ill. Barlow advanced with a second-place finish of 141 at Clinton Creek Golf Course in Swansea, Ill., on June 16.

"The key for me was just making all my putts inside 10 feet," Guthrie said. "My hitting and putting have been solid. The difference this summer is simply I am playing with a lot more confidence.

Barlow tied for 12th at the Sunnehanna Amateur in Pennsylvania in June with a one-over par 281. He returned on Sunday and played in the Pub Links qualifier the following Tuesday. Aside from a triple bogey during the first round at Sunnehanna, Barlow is playing solid golf early in the summer.

"I feel like my game continues to improve," Barlow said. "Hopefully we can take that right through the summer and into the fall. I know we're all itching to get back."

As far as next week's U.S. Public Links Championship, Barlow said, "My goal is to get to match play. From there anything can happen as was proven in the NCAA this year."

Stroke-play at the 7,289-yard par 71 course will be Monday and Tuesday with the top 64 players advancing to match play. First round matches are Wednesday; second and third rounds scheduled for Thursday; quarterfinal and semifinal matches on Friday with the 36-hole final match slated for Saturday.

Former champions have included Trevor Immelman, Billy Mayfair, Jodie Mudd and D.J. Trahan.

In other Illinois golf news, junior Scott Langley tied for 14th at the Sahalee Players Championship in Sammamish, Wash., on July 1-3. He is playing this weekend at the Metropolitan Open in suburban St. Louis where Langley is the defending champion.