Pugh, Ratliff Enjoy Strong Showings for ETSU Men’s Golf

Buccaneer.289.1245.KA pair of ETSU men’s golfers are enjoying successful summer stints as rising senior Rhys Pugh (Pontypridd, Wales) has advanced to the third round of match play in the 119th Amateur Championship and incoming freshman Cayman Ratliff (Kingsport, Tenn.) qualified for the 2014 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship earlier this week.

Pugh, who shot a 4-over-par 145 (72-73) in stroke play, was one of 70 golfers to advance into match play. The Buccaneer rising senior made the cut after registering birdies on the final two holes on Wednesday to move into a tie for 52nd and advance in the championship.

On Thursday, Pugh continued his run in the Amateur Championship by defeating Spain’s Mario Galiano – who is ranked 13th in the World Amateur Rankings – 5&4 in the second round of match play.

Both golfers were all square following the first five holes of competition, but Pugh went 3-up after the next three holes to take a commanding lead. The Welshman parred No. 6, 7 and 8, while Galiano bogeyed all three holes. After the golfers posted a par on the par-4, 473-yard No. 9, Pugh went 5-up after birdying the par-4 10th and the par-3 11th.

Pugh faces England’s Luke Johnson on Friday at 2:39 a.m. Eastern.

The 2014 Amateur Championship is being played at Royal Portrush and Portstewart golf clubs in Northern Ireland. The tournament field consisted of 288 golfers from 28 countries, with the entire field being ranked in the World Amateur Golf Rankings. The Amateur Champion will earn a place in the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool, Hoylake and the 2015 US Open at Chambers Bay in Washington State. Traditionally, an invitation is also extended to play in the Masters Tournament at Augusta.

Meanwhile, as Pugh is advancing across the pond, Ratliff – who signed his national letter of intent with ETSU back in November – secured a spot in the 2014 U.S. Amateur after finishing second at the U.S. Amateur Public Links Qualifying Tournament on Tuesday at Harpeth Hills Golf Course in Nashville. Ratliff fired a two-round score of 144 to earn one of the two qualifying spots.

The 2014 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship is from July 14-19 at the Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kan.