Aug. 2—The Endless Summer continues for Donnie Troy.

Two days removed from a 70^th place showing in the Porter Cup Tournament, one of the nation’s most prestigious amateur events, Troy fired rounds of 70-69 at Woodbridge Country Club (Conn.) to earn co-medalist honors at U.S. Amateur qualifying.

“I really believed I was going to make it,” said Troy, who earned 95 Men’s Player of the Year points and regained the overall lead. “Two of my [Eckerd College] teammates made it, and I am as good as they are.”

This year’s U.S. Amateur will be played Aug. 21-27 at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. Hazeltine hosted the 2002 PGA Championship, won by Rich Beem.

Three-under with two holes to play in the afternoon round, Troy canned a 12-feet birdie putt on the par 3 17^th hole. At that point, Troy, “knew he had it.”

But on the closing par 4, Troy flew his 9-iron over the green from 146 yards. He pitched to 15-feet but failed to make the par putt. “I hit the wrong club,” Troy admitted. I probably wasn’t thinking right. I was so pumped up.”

With only three spots available, Troy spent the next several hours calculating his odds while each group finished. “It was nerve-wracking. I wanted to ask everyone in sight where they stood.”

While he waited, thunderstorms moved through the area and ultimately forced the remaining groups to return Wednesday morning. Officials told him that the only player with a chance of qualifying had to birdie his final three holes to match Troy’s 3-under total. At that point, Troy figured he was safe, and decided to drive home.

“It’s my biggest accomplishment,” he said. “I was so dehydrated. It was the hardest day of golf in my life. I had the biggest headache on the way home, but I was so excited. Not many people get to play in the U.S. Amateur. I’m not going to have any expectations.”

Troy becomes the first Berkshire County resident to qualify for the U.S. Amateur since 2000, when Jim Salinetti earned medalist honors at Stockbridge, his home club. Salinetti went on to claim on-site medalist honors at Baltusrol and lost to current Champions Tour member David Eger in 19 holes in the round of 16.