Langley has drive to win Amateur championship

EUREKA, Mo. -- Reaffirming his position as the top amateur player in the St. Louis area, Scott Langley will now get a chance to compete against the best amateurs in the nation -- again.

The 20-year-old Langley shot an even-par 70 to tie Canadian Andrew Funk for medalist honors during local qualifying for the United States Amateur Championship on Tuesday at the Country Club at the Legends.

Langley, who will be a junior at the University of Illinois, joined Funk, with a two-round score of 138, one stroke better then Zach Barlow, of Percy, Ill.

Both Langley and Funk advance to the 109th U.S Amateur Championship on Aug. 23-30 at Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, Okla.

For Langley it will be his second straight trip to the premier amateur event in the world. The Parkway South High School graduate advanced to match play a year ago but lost his first round match.

"It's great to be able to qualify again. Today was kind of an up and down round, not as consistent as I would have liked, but I was able to get in at even (par)," Langley said. "The goal going out is to get through qualifying and into match play. Once you're there, anything can happen."

Funk, playing out of Scotsdale, Ariz., will be a junior at Drury College in Springfield, Mo., this fall. But after shooting a second straight 69 on the par 70 layout Tuesday, he may be late in starting classes.

Funk will play in the Canadian Amateur Championship near Toronto on Aug. 10-13, then begin preparing for his first trip to the United States Amateur.

But it won't be his first time at Southern Hills.

"Actually, I had the chance to play it last week when I was in Tulsa visiting my girlfriend," Funk said. "I think I shot 67, but it wasn't in tournament condition. I'm sure it will be playing much tougher for the Amateur.

"I'm thrilled. This is the first time I had tried to qualify for the U.S. Amateur. To be able to make and have another chance to play at just a great golf trek like Southern Hills, is just unbelievable."

Of the metro east area players competing, Ty Comerford, of O'Fallon, shot an 80 Tuesday to finish with a 36-hole 154 score. Adam Serrano, of O'Fallon, shot a 77 and was at 160.

Belleville native Dennis Faust struggled to an 83 in the hot, muggy conditions to finish with a two-round score of 164.

Contact reporter Dean Criddle at 239-2661 or dcriddle@bnd.com.