Aug. 9, 2012

WILLIAMSBURG, Va. - Former University of Maryland golfer Joey Rice qualified for the 2012 United States Amateur Golf Championship after carding a 5-under 137 (71-66) at Kingsmill Resort's River Course on July 23 as part of a U.S. Amateur Sectional Qualifying event.

Rice, who graduated in May with a degree in economics, won a four-for-three playoff on the fifth hole to claim a spot in the most prestigious amateur golf event in the country. Rice and two other golfers qualified for the tournament out of a group of 120 participants.

"It is a very exciting feeling,” said Rice on qualifying for the U.S. Amateur. “I had not played in a tournament in two months. My brother, James, was on the bag (his caddie). It was a 12-hour day to qualify, which included 41 holes of golf.”

Rice followed up his impressive performance at Kingsmill Resort with a 6-and-5 victory in the 36-hole final of the Washington Metropolitan Golf Association (WMGA) Metropolitan Amateur at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md., on Monday.

"It is a big confidence booster,” said Rice on winning the WMGA Metropolitan Amateur. “This event is a very good local tournament. It shows that I can compete."

A native of Dunkirk, Md., Rice was a four-year letterwinner for the Terrapins' golf team. He will compete at the U.S. Amateur on Monday, Aug. 13 at Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colo.

- Terps -