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Bucknell rising senior Blake Wisdom fired an 8-under-par 64 in the second round of the U.S. Amateur qualifier at White Eagle Golf Club on Tuesday, vaulting him into a share of medalist honors and a berth in next month's U.S. Amateur Championship in New Jersey.
The White Eagle qualifier featured more than 70 golfers battling for two automatic spots in the national championship. Wisdom was well off the pace after carding an opening-round 73, but he came back in the afternoon to post the best competitive round of his playing career. Wisdom eagled both par-5s on the opening nine on the way to an outbound 31, and he added three more birdies on the back nine en route to a bogey-free 64.
Wisdom and Phoenix, Ariz., native Chris Kamin (70-67) both totaled 7-under 137 over 36 holes to grab the two qualifying spots. Will Stewart (-6) and Eric Wessel (-4) nabbed the two alternate spots.
Wisdom is headed to the U.S. Amateur Championship after just missing last year. He posted a 5-under 137 (67-70) to finish third at the Hartland, Wis., qualifier, earning him alternate status for a spot in the finals at Oakmont. The previous summer he reached the final 16 at the Wisconsin Match Play Championship and qualified to play in the Monday qualifier for the PGA Tour's 3M Open in Minnesota.
Wisdom is coming off another strong collegiate season for the Bison. He was a two-time Patriot League Golfer of the Week and had five top-10 finishes, including a runner-up at the Abarta Coca-Cola Collegiate Invitational in the spring.
Wisdom's best round at Bucknell is a 6-under 66 at the UNCG Martin Downs Collegiate in the spring of 2020. The 66 is one shot off the school record, while the 6-under total is tied for the school record in relation to par.
The U.S. Amateur Championship runs from Aug. 15-21 at Ridgewood Country Club and Arcola Country Club in Paramus, N.J. A field of 312 players from 94 qualifying sites will tee it up for two rounds of stroke play at Arcola CC. The top 64 players will advance to the match play bracket at Ridgewood CC, with the 36-hole championship set for Sunday, Aug. 21. Peacock and Golf Channel will have live coverage starting with the match play competition on Aug. 17.