Gonzaga’s Jace Minni shoots 66-70 to earn spot in U.S. Amateur

Gonzaga’s Jace Minni claimed a spot in the U.S. Amateur with a third-place finish Thursday at a qualifier at the Home Course in DuPont, Washington.

Minni, a rising senior from Delta, British Columbia, opened with a 6-under 66, highlighted by a hole-in-one with a 6-iron on the 185-yard sixth and an eagle on the par-5 16th.

Minni shot a 2-under 70 in the second round with three birdies and his lone bogey over 36 holes. He finished at 8-under 136, two strokes behind co-medalists Mateo Fuenmayor and John Kim.

Fuenmayor is a senior at Oregon State and Kim plays at Cal State San Bernardino.

Minni, the 2022 Washington Amateur champion, finished one shot ahead of Bellevue’s Max Herendeen, who has signed at Illinois, and two in front of Washington State’s Preston Bebich.

Herendeen and Bebich are first and second alternates, respectively.

Minni posted a 73.3 scoring average last season, eighth best in program history, and made the Academic All-West Coast Conference team with a 3.41 grade-point average.

The 123rd U.S. Amateur will be held Aug. 14-20 at Cherry Hills Country Club near Denver, Colorado. Approximately 8,000 players attempted to qualify.