INCOMING FRESHMAN BARINA QUALIFIES FOR U.S. JUNIOR AMATEUR GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP
6/19/2018 12:16:00 PM | Golf
MARTIN, Tenn. – Shelden Barina, who will join the University of Tennessee at Martin golf program this fall as a freshman, is headed to the US Junior Amateur Championship, which will be held on July 16-21 in Springfield, NJ.
Barina clinched a spot in next month's prestigious event after a remarkable performance during last Thursday's qualifying tournament at Old Fort Golf Club in his hometown of Murfreesboro. His round of 65 (-7) topped the 69-man field as Barina earned one of two Tennessee representative spots in the upcoming US Junior Amateur Championship, which will be held at the famous Baltusrol Golf Club.
Barina's 65 was keyed by a spectacular back-nine performance, as the Stewarts Creek High School alum shot a 28 after the turn to close out the best round of his career. All six of his birdies – as well as an eagle on the par-5, 530-yard Hole No. 10 – came over the final nine holes as he also collected 10 pars against just one bogey on the day.
"I would say the eagle I made on No. 10 definitely got me going for the back nine, but I started to notice that I could possibly go really low on the back when I made the birdie on No. 13," Barina said. "That birdie put me at 5-under through the first four holes on the back."
By the time Barina knocked in a birdie putt on the par-4, 451-yard Hole No. 18, he had shot eight-under par on the final nine holes of the tournament. He won the qualifier by one stroke and attributes his success to an ability to close out holes.
"The one aspect of my game that I've been working on lately is my putting," Barina said. "I played another tournament at Old Fort a few days before and found that my alignment was off a little bit. I worked on that leading up to the US Junior qualifier and it finally came together on the back nine."
Barina will take part in the Tennessee Junior Amateur Championship at Stones River Country Club on June 26-28 before heading to the state of New Jersey for the first time in his life. He will then look to repeat his success against some of the top amateurs in the country on a Baltusrol course that has hosted seven US Opens and a pair of PGA Championships.
"I will be practicing and preparing to play my best golf at the US Junior Amateur," Barina said. "I have heard that Baltusrol is one of the most historic golf clubs in the world and I look forward to representing Tennessee in the US Junior Amateur Championship. I want to thank the USGA, the TGA and the Old Fort Golf Course for hosting and conducting an outstanding qualifier."
Barina clinched a spot in next month's prestigious event after a remarkable performance during last Thursday's qualifying tournament at Old Fort Golf Club in his hometown of Murfreesboro. His round of 65 (-7) topped the 69-man field as Barina earned one of two Tennessee representative spots in the upcoming US Junior Amateur Championship, which will be held at the famous Baltusrol Golf Club.
Barina's 65 was keyed by a spectacular back-nine performance, as the Stewarts Creek High School alum shot a 28 after the turn to close out the best round of his career. All six of his birdies – as well as an eagle on the par-5, 530-yard Hole No. 10 – came over the final nine holes as he also collected 10 pars against just one bogey on the day.
"I would say the eagle I made on No. 10 definitely got me going for the back nine, but I started to notice that I could possibly go really low on the back when I made the birdie on No. 13," Barina said. "That birdie put me at 5-under through the first four holes on the back."
By the time Barina knocked in a birdie putt on the par-4, 451-yard Hole No. 18, he had shot eight-under par on the final nine holes of the tournament. He won the qualifier by one stroke and attributes his success to an ability to close out holes.
"The one aspect of my game that I've been working on lately is my putting," Barina said. "I played another tournament at Old Fort a few days before and found that my alignment was off a little bit. I worked on that leading up to the US Junior qualifier and it finally came together on the back nine."
Barina will take part in the Tennessee Junior Amateur Championship at Stones River Country Club on June 26-28 before heading to the state of New Jersey for the first time in his life. He will then look to repeat his success against some of the top amateurs in the country on a Baltusrol course that has hosted seven US Opens and a pair of PGA Championships.
"I will be practicing and preparing to play my best golf at the US Junior Amateur," Barina said. "I have heard that Baltusrol is one of the most historic golf clubs in the world and I look forward to representing Tennessee in the US Junior Amateur Championship. I want to thank the USGA, the TGA and the Old Fort Golf Course for hosting and conducting an outstanding qualifier."
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