‘I’m playing great golf:’ Nanaimo golfer qualifies for U.S. Amateur Championships

A solid second shot to approach the green, then a chip shot put him within a foot of the hole for birdie, with his two opponents both missing their opportunities.

Wilson wasn’t nervous, telling NanaimoNewsNOW he “didn’t really feel anything” standing over the Championship-winning putt.

The longer Burnaby course really helped him through the week, Wilson said.

“I’m only 160 pounds, but I can get it out there a long ways. I love a golf course that’s long and has a little bit of room off the tee, and that’s kind of what Riverway was. I’m a really good putter, so when I get the driver going and the putter going, that’s when I play my best golf.”

Wilson’s name will be etched on the same trophy held by the likes of Fred Couples (a former world number one and 1992 Masters Champion), and Canadian professional Adam Svensson.

The result was the latest in a string of solid performances, which included a second-place finish in Chicago at a qualification event for the upcoming U.S. Amateur Championship in August.

Wilson will join a 312-golfer field for what he says is the biggest tournament of its kind in the world.

“It’s in Pennsylvania at the Merion Club. They’ve had a couple U.S. Open’s there, I believe they’re having a U.S. Open there in a couple years, so it’s a pretty great venue, and there’s going to be a ton of good players. I think the biggest thing for me is just to keep carrying the momentum from that B.C. Amateur and from that qualifier in Chicago, I’m playing great golf.”

A student athlete at the University of Tulsa, Wilson is studying business management in between rounds.

It means he has three more years before turning professional, with a goal of competing at the U.S. event every year he can.

“The winner of the US-Am gets an invite to the Masters, the U.S. Open, the British Open, so there’s a lot of open doors, and there’s a lot of great amateur tournaments in America. I think my main goal is to play a lot of really good golf at college at the University of Tulsa, and then that’s going to open more doors going forward into the States.”

In Nanaimo, Wilson was a member of the growing golf program at Wellington Secondary School, which has helped produce a number of high-level athletes in recent years.

Led by coach Brian Lennox, Wilson is proud of the work he and other students did to establish the group and set it up for years to come.

“For Wellington and showing other kids, go to Wellington because golf is on the rise now. I think this year, Brian had 20 to 30 kids come up to him and sign up for the golf team. I think it was great for us to kind of come in and build a golf team and then have everyone else say we’re going to keep this going.”

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by Alex Rawnsley

‘I’m playing great golf:’ Nanaimo golfer qualifies for U.S. Amateur Championships

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