Norfolk's Kluver earns one of two spots at U.S. Amateur with low round at Wild Horse

GOTHENBURG, Neb. -  It was a marathon day at Wild Horse Golf Club on Thursday that turned into an extra day of qualifying for the 123rd U.S. Amateur Championship, with Luke Kluver of Norfolk and Henry Shimp of Charlotte, North Carolina earning spots into the field.

The 36-hole Qualifier was delayed an hour on Thursday morning due to storms in the central Nebraska area, and two more suspensions during the day resulted in a resumption of play and a playoff for the second spot on Friday morning.

Kluver was able to finish both of his rounds on Thursday, and put together the low total by two strokes. He fired a first round 66 (-6) to take the lead and followed with a 70 (-2) to take medalist honors and the first qualifying spot with a 136 (-8) total. The former Norfolk Panther and current Oklahoma Sooner will play in his fourth U.S. Amateur next month.

Shimp completed his 36 holes as well on Thursday, but had to return for a playoff for the final qualifying spot. He opened with a 71 (-1) but posted the lowest second round, a 67 (-5) to finish at 138 (-6). Playing alongside Shimp for both rounds, Waterloo's John Williams shot rounds of 68 (-4) and 70 (-2) to tie him at 6-under. Jack Lundin of Sioux Falls, South Dakota also finished at 6-under with two rounds of 69 (-3).

The three went into a playoff and Lundin bogeyed the first playoff hole to drop out, while Shimp and Williams both made par. On the second playoff hole, Shimp hit his approach shot close on No. 10 at Wild Horse, and made an easy two-putt par to earn the spot, after Williams made bogey.

Shimp, who played for Stanford and was on the 2019 NCAA National Championship team, will play in his sixth U.S. Amateur. He and Kluver will play next at the 123rd U.S. Amateur Championship at Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver, August 14-20.