SAN DIEGO -- San Diego State men's golfers Shea Lague (Jamul, Calif./Steele Canyon HS) and Chanachon Chokprajakchat (Bangkok, Thailand) are set to compete in the 2023 U.S. Amateur Championships, scheduled for Aug. 14-20 in Colorado.
Lague advanced all the way to the quarterfinals at last year's U.S. Amateur in New Jersey before falling to Derek Hitchner, 3 and 2. Lague shot a 74 and 71 (145) in stroke play to earn the No. 51 seed last year, and then defeated Hazen Newman in 21 holes in the round of 64, Yuxin Lin, 3 and 2, in the round of 32 and Hugo Townsend in 19 holes in the round of 16.
Lague is coming off a fantastic sophomore season with the Aztecs where he was a PING All-West Region selection and all-Mountain West pick. Lague led SDSU with a 70.36 stroke average across 36 rounds. He also topped San Diego State with 25 under-par rounds.
Chokprajakchat, meanwhile, punched his ticket to the U.S. Amateur after shooting a 2-under 138 at a qualifying event at Goose Creek in Jurupa Valley, California, on June 28. He tied for second at the qualifier and was the first alternate, eventually making his way into this week's championship.
Chokprajakchat was fifth in scoring for the Aztecs as a freshman in the 2022-23 season, recording a 72.38 average across 26 rounds.
This year marks the 123th installment of the U.S. Amateur, making it the oldest golf championship in the nation, one day older than the U.S. Open. Other than an eight-year period from 1965-1972, when it was contested at stroke play, the Amateur has been a match-play championship.
This year's field includes 312 golfers competing in 36 holes of stroke play over the first two days on par-71, 7,405-yard Cherry Hills Country Club in Cherry Hills Village, Colorado, and the par-72, 7,560-yard Colorado Golf Club in Parker, Colorado. After the second round, the low 64 scorers advance to match play at The Cherry Hills Country Club.
Chokprajakchat tees off at 7:22 a.m. MT (6:22 a.m. PT) Monday from the first hole at Cherry Hills C.C. He then plays his second round at 12:52 p.m. MT (11:52 a.m. PT) Tuesday from the 10th hole at Colorado G.C. Lague tees off at 8:39 a.m. MT (7:39 a.m. PT) Monday from the 10th hole at Cherry Hills C.C. and at 2:09 p.m. MT (1:09 p.m. PT) Tuesday from the first hole at Colorado G.C.
The round of 64 will take place on Wednesday, Aug. 16, followed by the round of 32 and round of 16 on Thursday, the quarterfinals on Friday, the semifinals on Saturday and finals on Sunday.
The champion of the 123rd U.S. Amateur receives a gold medal, custody of the Havemeyer Trophy for one year, an exemption from qualifying for the next 10 U.S. Amateurs, an exemption into 2024 U.S. Open at The Pinehurst Resort & C.C., 2024 Open Championship (must be an amateur) and likely invitation into 2024 Masters Tournament (must be an amateur).
Two San Diego State golfers have been crowned U.S. Amateur champion: Gene Littler took home the title in 1953 after defeating Dale Morey, 1 up, at Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club, while Gunn Yang emerged victorious in 2014 over Corey Conners, 2&1, on the Highlands Course at Atlanta Athletic Club in Johns Creek, Georgia.
Other notable winners include Bob Jones (1924, 1925, 1927, 1928, 1930), Arnold Palmer (1954), Jack Nicklaus (1959, 1961), Lanny Wadkins (1970), Craig Stadler (1973), Mark O'Meara (1979), Hal Sutton (1980), Jay Sigel (1982, 1983), Phil Mickelson (1990), Tiger Woods (1994, 1995, 1996), Matthew Fitzpatrick (2013) and Bryson DeChambeau (2015).
The Aztecs finished with three team championships last season, claiming New Mexico's William H. Tucker Intercollegiate (Sept. 23-24) at 16-under 848, the Wyoming Cowboy Classic (April 3-4) title for a third straight year at 7-under 857 and the MW Championship (April 28-30) for a second straight year at 60-under 804. According to Golfstat, SDSU's 281.85 stroke average last season was the best in program history, while at the MW Championship San Diego State set program lows for a 54-hole score (804) and 18-hole score (260 in the final round).
San Diego State kicks off the 2023-24 campaign at the Maui Jim Intercollegiate, Sept. 8-10 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Two Aztecs Set for 2023 U.S. Amateur
