Aug. 13, 2010
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IOWA CITY, IA – – University of Iowa men’s golfer Vince India continued his solid summer of golf by winning the Illinois State Amateur Championship at Beverly Country Club in Chicago. The native of Deerfield, IL shot a 72-hole total of 274 (10 under par) to win by seven strokes.
Along with India’s winning effort, current Hawkeye Brad Hopfinger tied for ninth with a 288 total, while Iowa’s Chris Brant shot a 289 total to tie for 12th place. In earning the victory, India shot rounds of 68, 67, 69 and 70, as he led by five strokes or more throughout the final nine holes.
“It feels good to finally get the big win,” said India, on winning the Illinois Amateur. “This one goes right up there with the Iowa Open.” India won the Iowa Open in 2009. He finished second at the 91st CDGA (Chicago District Golf Association) Amateur Championship at Bull Valley Golf Club earlier this summer.
Hopfinger, a native of Lake Forest, had rounds of 69, 71, 76 and 72 in earning his top 10 finish, while Brant recorded rounds of 70, 71, 77 and 71. Brant is a native of Edwardsville and will be a junior this fall, while India and Hopfinger will both be seniors.
Brant won the seventh Metropolitan East Side Amateur, held at Belk Park Golf Course in the St. Louis area, earlier this summer, before finishing tied for sixth at the fifth Metropolitan Open Championship (also in the St. Louis area) less than a month later.
India and Hawkeye teammate Barrett Kelpin will compete in the 2010 U.S. Amateur Championships in University Place, WA, Aug. 23-29, for a shot at the 110th U.S. Amateur title.
India, punched his U.S. Amateur ticket July 26 at the USGA Amateur Qualifier at Cantigny Golf Club in Wheaton, IL. He fired an opening round 72 (par), followed by a second round 69, to place second.
Meanwhile, Kelpin finished second at his respective qualifier for the second consecutive year. The junior from Kalamazoo, MI, carded a 137 (-7) to earn a share of second place at The Moors Golf Club in Portage, MI. Kelpin also placed sixth at the Monroe, NY Invitational earlier this summer and was one of eight finalists at the North & South Amateur Championship in Pinehurst, NC.
Additionally, Ryan Marks, a sophomore member of the Hawkeye golf team, won the Missouri State Stroke Play championship earlier this summer and placed second at the Iowa Golf Association Match Play state championship.