Complete Results

MALVERN, Pa. – La Salle rising junior Mike Johnson shot a 68-73=141 (-1) on Wednesday at Applebrook and Waynesborough Country Clubs to qualify for the US Amateur Championship, which will be contested August 13-19 at Cherry Hills Country Club in Colorado. Johnson finished fifth in the 143-player field and the top six players advanced.

"It feels great to qualify for the Amateur," Johnson said. "I've been playing solid this summer and this is the biggest thrill so far. I'm really excited to make the trip out to Colorado."

Johnson began the day at Waynesborough CC and strung together seven straight pars before carding a birdie on the 250-yard, par three 17^th hole. After a par on 18, he made the turn and began to catch fire.

Johnson recorded three birdies in seven holes, which was offset by a single bogey, and finished the first 18 holes with a three-under 68. He stood in third place, one back of the leaders midway through the day.

He then made the short trip to Applebrook for his second 18. He opened with a birdie on the par five first hole to get to four under and remained there until the sixth hole. The Talamore CC standout had a tough stretch with a pair of double-bogeys on seven and nine but recovered nicely on the back nine.

A birdie on the 12^th hole put him back in the top six and he parred out to finish fifth in the field.

"I was solid in the morning but had a few hiccups on the second round," Johnson said. "I shot one-under on my final nine with some clutch up and downs for par."

Johnson now moves onto the country's premier event for amateurs, which begins on August 13. The first two rounds are stroke play, with the top 64 players advancing to match play on August 15. The first three rounds of match play will be televised by the Golf Channel while the semifinals and championship match to be televised on NBC on August 18-19.

Previous winners of the US Amateur include Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Phil Mickelson, and Tiger Woods.

Johnson finished seventh at the Atlantic 10 Championship this spring as a sophomore, with a 71-71=142 (-2). It tied the best finish by an Explorer at A-10s and was the lowest 18 and 36 hole scores by a La Salle golfer at the conference championship.

GoExplorers.com will have complete coverage of Johnson's journey to the US Amateur.