JULY 30-31, 2007 - U.S. AMATEUR QUALIFIER

Ben Godwin wins U.S. Amateur Qualifier
by 6 at Persimmon Woods

Berkmeyer, Bryant and Merrill also advance to San Francisco event

Weldon Spring, MO - Poplar Bluff’s Ben Godwin (at left with Stan Grossman) fired a second-round 69 to coast to a six-shot win at the U.S. Amateur Qualifying, Tuesday at Persimmon Woods Golf Club.

Godwin, 37, fired rounds of 67-69-136, well ahead of three golfers – St. Louisans Justin Bryant (70-72-142) and Skip Berkmeyer (72-70-142), and Kansas Citian Dean Merrill (71-71-142).

All four advanced to the 107th U.S. Amateur Championship, Aug. 20-26 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco.

Bryant, an 18-year-old MICDS graduate, will be making his first appearance at the national championship. The high school all-state golfer will attend Wake Forest this fall and attempt to make the golf program as a walk-on. The former Metropolitan Junior Amateur champion proved his game was ready for Division I golf and national qualifiers.   

Berkmeyer made few mistakes in a two-bogey, two-birdie round of 70 to clinch his second straight trip to the national championship and third in four years.  

Godwin will get his second visit to the national tournament, after having advanced in 2002 to Oakland Hills. “I shot 145 but missed match play by two in the lowest cut in history,” Godwin said.

Godwin came into Tuesday’s final round with a three-stroke cushion and the belief that anything better than 74 or 75 would probably be good enough to advance. “But I hit it in the tall grass and lost a ball at No. 2 and made a great bogey despite the penalty,” he said. “But that got me thinking I better not get too comfortable about this.”

After a second bogey at No. 3, the 250-yard par-3, Godwin rallied with birdies at Nos. 8, 10, 13 and 17 to secure the medal.

Photo at right: 2007 Qualifiers Dean Merrill, Justin Bryant, Skip Berkmeyer and Ben Godwin surround MAGA President Stan Grossman.