KU’s Chase Hanna Wins 103rd Kansas Amateur
MISSION HILLS, Kan. (kuathletics.com) – Kansas freshman golfer Chase Hanna could not have asked for a better birthday gift to himself than winning the 103rd Kansas Amateur which he did by defeating Sam Stevens of Wichita, 5 and 3, at Indian Hills Country Club in Mission Hills, Kan., Sunday.
Hanna, who turned 19 Sunday, defeated Stevens on the 33rd hole in the 36-hole scheduled match-play championship. The duel was all square after 18 holes before Hanna, from Leawood, Kan., took control with birdies early in the second round.
The 103rd Kansas Amateur started with 157 golfers on July 22 in a 36-hole stroke-play qualifier. Hanna advanced to the 64-match-play field by shooting a 1-under 139 (69-70) on the par-70 Indian Hills course to tie for fifth. Seeded seventh in the event, Hanna then won six matches en route to the title. Two of Hanna’s match victories were 1 up and another went two extra holes before he advanced to Sunday’s 36-hole final.
Hanna’s summer has been quite the success story. On June 26, the Shawnee Mission East High School graduate was the recipient of the Kenneth Smith Award given to the Kansas City area high school golfer for outstanding accomplishment on the golf course and achievements in academics and community service.
Earlier in June, Hanna won the Kansas Junior Amateur Championship in dominating fashion, winning by eight strokes with a score of 66-68-76—210 on the par-72 Quail Ridge Golf Course in Winfield, Kan., solidifying him as the best junior golfer in the state. The eight-stroke victory was the largest margin of victory in the event’s 54 years.
On June 23rd in Indianapolis, Hanna continued his hot streak, competing against 156 of the top national and international junior golfers at the 96th Western Junior at Meridian Hills Country Club. Hanna shot a course record 63 (-8) par-71 in the first round of the event and went on to finish the tournament tied for 23rd.
