BANDON, Ore. – Lincoln Memorial University senior golfer Dan Bradbury became the first Railsplitter in school history to compete in the USGA Amateur Championship. This August marked the 120^th year of the competition that took place at the Bandon Dunes Golf Resort.
 
Bradbury, one of the most decorated golfers in LMU history, and a finalist of the 2020 Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year, finished stroke play shooting a 76 in his final round, and finished 7-over par for the week.
 
The senior from Yorkshire, England said the U.S. Amateur was an invaluable experience with many positives to take forward in his game.
 
"It was a really great experience to be involved with a tournament that has that deep-rooted history. I've played all the major amateur events back in England and none of those could compare to this one," Bradbury said. "Experience wise, it's brilliant, it's the top."
 
Upon arrival in Oregon, Bradbury played a practice round with the defending U.S. Amateur champion from Georgia Tech, Andy Ogletree.
 
"Playing with the defending champion of the tournament in my practice round, and a top-5 ranked golfer in the world rankings was one of the biggest takeaways of the week. I was hitting the ball just as well as them, the difference was really just my short game. That's the biggest area I am working to improve in my game moving forward," Bradbury said.
 
The journey to Bandon was a path paved with mystery for Bradbury. At the conclusion and shutdown of the 2019-20 season due to COVID-19, he had already won three tournaments representing LMU. The team was ranked seventh in the nation and was awaiting post-season play to begin.
 
"The boys were coming on-form at just the right time for regionals and nationals and then when the shutdown happened, it was more frustrating than anything," Bradbury said. "In just a span of two days, we didn't have any idea what the conclusion of our season would look like, and before we knew it, we were packed up and heading home to England for good."
 
Bradbury said traveling back home in March was particularly difficult for him golf-wise. He went through nine weeks of complete lockdown where he could only hit off an old range mat in his garden. He did not get back out on an actual golf course until the middle of May, and from there he had two months to train with no serious competitions. Three weeks prior to the U.S. Amateur, Bradbury had a major decision to make.
 
"I found out on the day entry closed for the tournament that I had a spot in the field. Qualifying rounds were cancelled, and I was ranked 270^th in the world, which at the time would have not made the cut. A few golfers ended up dropping out, and I had to decide if I was coming back state-side to compete," Bradbury said.
 
On the final day of entry for Bandon, Bradbury was weighing his options of featuring in the British Amateur, English Amateur and English Open Stroke Play, or just the one tournament for the U.S. Amateur.
 
"In the end, I decided to pick just the one amateur over the other three back home. The way the U.S. Amateur is regarded, and all the history involved, it really outweighed the rest. I may never get that chance again to compete, and I am really proud I featured in such a historic tournament," Bradbury said.
 
Bradbury was just one of three representatives of D-II schools at the U.S. Amateur, and will look to take much of that experience into his senior year.
 
Bradbury said he is eager to win at least a couple more events in his senior year with LMU and is excited to see the progression from the team as a whole.
 
"Losing the seniors, the way the season ended last year was tough, but we are back now. I am excited to lead as a senior alongside Luke Harries, and I think we can be just as good as last season, if not better," Bradbury said. "Our freshman were coming on-form in March, and as long as we can get them back in the swing of things at a high level, this team could be excellent."
 
The senior from Yorkshire said he is first and foremost focused on having an even better year for LMU, but with the U.S. Amateur experience under his belt, he now has a path to follow for the future.
 
"I know now if my full game was there, I would have been playing on Sunday at Bandon. It is the little things I can takeaway that gives me confidence, and I know exactly what I need to do now to reach the next level," Bradbury said. "I've got a path to follow and I know I have the right people in my corner."
 
Stay tuned to LMURailsplitters.com, as well as LMU's social media platforms —@LMURailsplitter on Twitter, @LMURailsplitters on Facebook and @lmurailsplitters on Instagram — for complete coverage of Railsplitter golf through the 2020-21 season.