FARMVILLE, Va. – With a pair of rounds in the 60's, rising junior Brandon Weaver of the Longwood men's golf team qualified for next month's prestigious United States Amateur Championship Tuesday in the U.S. Amateur qualifier played at James River Country Club in Newport News, Va.
 
Weaver took one of two available spots in the qualifier for next month's top amateur event with his 36-hole 64-67—131 (-9) performance to finish runner-up in the 65-player field. He finished one stroke behind individual medalist Akshay Bhatia – the 103rd ranked amateur in the world.
 
"It's a great honor to have the opportunity to play in such a prestigious event like the U.S. Amateur," Weaver said. "For most of the summer since I've been home from Longwood, I've been playing pretty poor golf. Going into this event, I had no expectations and no swing thoughts. I just went to play."
 
Weaver becomes the second Lancer to qualify for the U.S. Amateur in Longwood's Division I era, following in the footsteps of 2009 qualifier Adam Webb.
 
The 2018 U.S. Amateur will be held Aug. 13-19 at world-renowned Pebble Beach Golf Links and Spyglass Hills Golf Course in Pebble Beach, Calif. The oldest United States Golf Association championship event, the U.S. Amateur is played with 36 holes of stroke play over the first two days with the top 64 players on the leaderboard following stroke play advancing to match play.
 
A product of Purcellville, Va., Weaver's opening round 64 matched Bhatia for the lowest of the day. It consisted of six birdies, an eagle and two bogeys. He played the sixth through the 11th holes in birdie, bogey, birdie, bogey, eagle, birdie.
 
In the afternoon round, Weaver played his opening nine holes in one-under with three birdies, two bogeys. He then posted a two-under 33 on his back nine with birdies on the par-5 10th hole and the par-4 11th hole to claim the second spot in the U.S. Amateur by four shots.
 
"I'm excited to play in what I consider the best tournament of my career so far in August," Weaver said.
 
Weaver was one of two Lancers in the field, as he was joined by incoming freshman Ryan Hammer, who posted rounds of 75-71—146 (+6).
 
Weaver enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign for the Lancers in 2017-18, finishing outside the top 30 in just two of 11 events throughout the season while claiming his first career win on the second playoff hole in the 2018 Manor Intercollegiate. Weaver posted a 73.47 scoring average, ranking T-17 in the Big South while posting nine rounds of even-par or better.
 
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