Wednesday, August 08, 2007

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Aug. 7, 2007) - University of North Florida senior Michael O'Neal had been here before. Two years ago he had the opportunity to qualify for the U.S. Amateur - the world's premiere amateur golf tournament - and lost out in a playoff.

Thoughts of that day were running through his mind on Tuesday after the second round of qualifying for the 2007 U.S. Amateur at Amelia National Golf Club. Only this time the end result was different after O'Neal sunk a 15-foot birdie putt on the first playoff hole to qualify for the event at the famed Olympic Club in San Francisco.

"I have been in a bunch of playoffs, and the results usually haven't gone my way," O'Neal said. "Good players know how to control their nerves in those situations. I wanted to qualify, and I can't explain the feeling I had when I did."

O'Neal won't be alone when he makes the cross country trek Aug. 20-26. Fellow Osprey J.C. Horne and UNF incoming freshman Chris Kennedy also qualified for the event.

Horne rode a similar path to O'Neal into the tournament - making birdie on his final playoff hole at the Golden Bear Club at Keenes Point to qualify - while Kennedy secured his spot by winning medalist honors at Cypress Run Golf Club in Tarpon Springs, Fla., on July 31.