ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (July 6, 2021) –
Alejandro Armijo became only the third Oklahoma Christian golfer ever to qualify for the prestigious U.S. Amateur Championship with a runner-up finish on Tuesday in a qualifier on the University of New Mexico Championship Course.
Armijo, a rising junior from Rio Rancho, N.M., shot rounds of 70 and 65 to finish at 9-under-par 135, putting him in second place in the 54-man field, one shot behind Chase Sienkiewicz, a rising junior at Arizona. The qualifier was one of more than 90 being played in the U.S., Canada and Mexico between June 28 and July 21.
Armijo will be in the 312-man field for the 121st edition of the U.S. Amateur, to be played Aug. 9-15 at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa. The previous two active OC players to qualify for the U.S. Amateur were current PGA Tour pro Rhein Gibson in 2006 and
Andres Brictson – now a rising senior for the Eagles – in 2019.
The U.S. Amateur has enjoyed an illustrious history of great champions, including Bob Jones, Phil Mickelson, Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods. The 2018 champion, former Oklahoma State star Viktor Hovland, is a rising star on the PGA Tour.
"I am extremely excited for Alejandro," OC coach
David Lynn said. "Nine-under for 36 holes at UNM's home course is really a great day. To earn the opportunity to play at the U.S. Amateur is wonderful. I am so proud of him. Playing at Oakmont will be an absolute treat for him."
During the 2020-21 season, Armijo started in all nine of OC's tournaments, recording a stroke average of 74.56 over 25 rounds and posting one top-10 and four top-20 finishes. His highest finish was a ninth-place showing in the Houston Classic at The Golf Club of Houston in Humble, Texas. His even-par 72 in the final round of the Lone Star Conference Championship at Tierra Verde Golf Club in Arlington, Texas, helped OC seal its first LSC title in any sport.
On Tuesday, Armijo started the opening round on No. 10 and birdied the par-4 No. 17 and par-5 No. 18 to move back to even par after bogeys at No. 15 and No. 16. Birdies on the par-4 No. 7 and the par-5 No. 9 finished off his 70.
He sizzled during his second round, with eight birdies and only one bogey. He had four birdies in his first six holes, including three straight on No. 4, No. 5 and No. 6. After his lone bogey at No. 7, he had four more birdies, including a pair on No. 17 and No. 18 that elevated him into qualifying position.
