University of Houston Athletics
Photo by: Liz Chrisman, IMBA
Signee Santiago De La Fuente Qualifies for U.S. Amateur
7/21/2022 11:50:00 AM | Men's Golf
Incoming junior shoots 67 in Final Round to earn place at nation’s premier amateur event
HOUSTON – Incoming University of Houston Men's Golfer Santiago De La Fuente recently qualified for the U.S. Amateur Championship after posting a score of 4-under 140 at Campestre De La Ciudad De Mexico.After shooting a 73 in the First Round, De La Fuente drained six birdies with only one bogey in the afternoon session to earn one of two spots from the qualifier.
The 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship will be held Aug. 15-21 at The Ridgewood Country Club and Arcola Country Club in Paramus, N.J. More than 300 golfers will compete with the Top 64 after stroke play advancing to match play.
This marks the fourth straight season and the ninth time in the last 10 years in which at least one Cougar will compete at the U.S. Amateur Championship.
A year ago, Andres Aranguren competed in stroke play at Oakmont Country Club and Longue Vue Club in Pennsylvania.
ABOUT SANTIAGO DE LA FUENTEDe La Fuente recently signed a scholarship agreement after competing for his first two seasons at Arkansas Tech. He will compete as a junior beginning in 2022-23 with two years of eligibility remaining.
In two years at Arkansas Tech, De La Fuente competed in 22 tournaments and compiled 17 Top-20 finishes with a tournament individual championship in each year. He led the Wonder Boys to the NCAA Division II Championships each season with the NCAA national title as a freshman in 2021.
As a sophomore in 2021-22, De La Fuente compiled a 73.03 scoring average with nine Top-20 showings in 12 tournaments. He was named to the All-Central Region Team by the Golf Coaches Association of America and was a unanimous selection on the Great American Conference First Team.
He opened the season with three straight Top-Five finishes and captured medalist honors at the Houston Classic at Golf Club of Houston, thanks to a 65 in the Second Round.
As a freshman in 2020-21, De La Fuente helped lead Arkansas Tech to the NCAA Division II national championship after recording a 73.25 average with eight Top-20 finishes in 10 tournaments. The Mexico City, Mexico, native opened that season with five straight Top-20 finishes and earned the first title of his collegiate career with a score of 6-under 210 at the Battle for the Belt.
In addition to his collegiate accomplishments, De La Fuente has been an award-winning amateur competitor. In January, he finished second at the Latin America Amateur Championship, shooting 6-under 288 on Casa de Campo's Teeth of the Dog course.
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– UHCougars.com
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