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World Amateur Golf Ranking: 70 PGA Tour University ranking: N/A How he qualified: U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Odds of making the cut: 18-1 Skinny: Augusta National is an impressive site for all the amateurs competing this week, but particularly McClean given he’s a trained optometrist (Get it … impressive site!) He was the first player from Northern Ireland to win the USGA’s 25-and-older championship, beating out another Irishman in Hugh Foley in the championship match at Wisconsin’s Erin Hills. As a consolation, Foley came with McClean when they played a practice round at Augusta in January. McClean also has a tee time in this summer’s U.S. Open and is likely to be a pick for the Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup team that plays at St. Andrews in September. Afterward, he’s likely to turn pro and go to DP World Tour Q School, which he was considering back in before the COVID pandemic in 2020. But first things first at Augusta: "I want to enjoy it, but my goal for the week is to make the cut. It is going to be extremely difficult with the standard of players playing and the occasion, but I will try to play as good as I can and hopefully it works out."
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