Elon Golfer Jonathan DiIanni Qualifies for U.S. Amateur

ELON, N.C. – Rising Elon senior men’s golfer Jonathan DiIanni recently earned a spot in the 2015 U.S. Amateur Championship that will be contested August 17-23 at the Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill.

DiIanni, a native of Kernersville, N.C., led the Phoenix with a 74.52 stroke average over 29 rounds in 11 events over the 2014-15 season. A two-time CAA Golfer of the Week, DiIanni twice shared medalist honors this season. The first came at the Maryland Terrapin Invitational where he tied for first out of 75 players with a mark of 214 (71-72-71). He then tied for first out of 72 players at the Greenbrier Collegiate Invite with a two-round score of 137 (67-70). In Elon’s first-ever CAA Championship, DiIanni tied for ninth with a 222 (77-69-76). His performance helped the maroon and gold to eight top-10 team finishes in 11 tournaments over the 2014-15 season. DiIanni was selected to the Capital One Academic All-District 3 Men’s At-Large Team following his junior campaign, was a member of the CAA All-Academic Team and was named Elon’s male recipient of the A.L. Hook Scholar-Athlete award that is given to the junior or senior student-athlete with the highest cumulative GPA. DiIanni was also honored as a 2015 Cleveland Golf/Srixon All-America Scholars team member.

DiIanni qualified for the tournament after placing second at the second of two Cincinnati, Ohio sectionals. His was contested at the Camargo Club, a consensus world top-100 course. After firing a 74 in his first round, DiIanni rallied with a second-round mark of 66 to finish second to Will Grimmer. DiIanni tallied nine total birdies over his two rounds, including six over his final 18 holes of play. He also had 19 total pars.

The field at the 2015 U.S. Amateur Championship will include 312 players. Over the first two days of competition, two rounds of 18-hole stroke play will be played on the two qualifying courses. After those two rounds, the field will be cut to just 64 players. Six rounds of match play will begin on Aug. 19 and the championship will conclude with a 36-hole championship match on Aug. 23.

Two Phoenix golfers, rising sophomores Jake Leavitt and Charlie May, both earned alternate spots. Leavitt finished fifth at the sectional in Joppa, Md., with a mark of 140. May placed in a fourth-place tie at the sectional in Tyngsboro, Mass., with a two round score of 141.