USF’s Correa Wins Mexican Amateur Title

By ROCKET SPORTS and ENTERTAINMENT NETWORK on June 17, 2015

Rising sophomore golferClaudio Correa earns automatic invite to U.S. Amateur Championship (photo Tom Britt / University South Florida Athletics)

TAMPA, FLA. – USF rising sophomore golfer Claudio Correa captured the 2015 Mexican Amateur Championship played June 11-14 in Merida, Mexico.

Correa, who captured the nation’s attention leading the Bulls to a top eight finish at the NCAA Championships, continued to make headlines on the world stage when he posted a 10-stroke victory in the Mexican Amateur. Correa’s victory earned him an exemption to play in this summer’s U.S. Amateur Championship, Aug. 17-23 at Olympia Fields Country Club in Illinois.

Correa, a native of Santiago, Chile, won the Mexican Amateur title with a 72-hole score of 283, -5 under par. He started his title pursuit with a 2-over 74 at the par-72, 7,300-yard Jaguar Course at the Yucatan Country Club before kicking his game into high gear with a 4-under 68 in the second round. Playing as the tournament leader, Correa distanced himself from the field with a 2-under 70 in the third round and hoisted the trophy after shooting a 1-under 71 in the final round. Learn more about Correa’s performance HERE.

Rising to the occasion was something Correa did often in his debut season with the Bulls. The freshman posted a stroke average of 71.7 per round and was named the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year. He won one tournament, the Gator Invitational, before leading the Bulls to an NCAA Regional victory and their first-ever NCAA Championship final appearance.

Correa handled the pressure well on the big stage, placing sixth as an individual in the NCAA Championship to lead the host Bulls, who advanced to match play at Concession Golf Club in Bradenton, Fla. He shot three rounds under par during the stroke play tournament.