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Kyle Sterbinsky is medalist in U.S. Amateur qualifier

The first time he competed in the U.S. Amateur, Kyle Sterbinsky still was about a month away from starting 10th grade at the Peddie School. Hitting his first tee shot of the 2012 championship at Cherry Hills outside Denver was an encounter with which he was not familiar.

The first time he competed in the U.S. Amateur, Kyle Sterbinsky still was about a month away from starting 10th grade at the Peddie School. Hitting his first tee shot of the 2012 championship at Cherry Hills outside Denver was an encounter with which he was not familiar.

"It definitely was very, very, very nerve-racking - 50-plus people standing behind you," Sterbinsky, a Yardley resident, said Wednesday. "I never had more than 10 people come out and watch before. So it was a new experience."

Thanks to his performance Wednesday during U.S. Amateur qualifying at Aronimink Golf Club and White Manor Country Club, Sterbinsky will get his second chance to cope with his nerves on the first tee. He finished as the qualifying medalist at 3-under-par 138, firing a 68 at White Manor and a 70 at Aronimink.

"It means a lot," said Sterbinsky, 19, who is entering his sophomore year at Wake Forest. "I've been working a lot for this summer, and I started seeing some results earlier, but then it kind of fell off a little bit. But it feels really nice to make another one."

Sterbinsky, who missed match play by 1 shot at Cherry Hills, carded seven birdies, two bogeys, and a double bogey in his morning round of 3 under at White Manor. He stayed steady in the afternoon with three birdies and three bogeys at Aronimink.

"I always tell myself, 'Stay in the moment and do what's important now,' and it worked out," he said. "I kept myself level-headed throughout the round, which was nice"

Five berths in the U.S. Amateur, which will be held next month at Oakland Hills outside Detroit, were up for grabs Wednesday. The other Philadelphia-area contestant to advance was Michael Davis of Newtown Square, who followed a 71 at White Manor with a 71 at Aronimink, his home course.

Davis birdied his 13th and 15th holes - Nos. 4 and 6 - in the afternoon to make it to the qualifying number, 1-over 142.

"I'm always nervous when it comes to tournament golf a little bit, just until I get settled in," said Davis, who is entering his junior year at Princeton. "But definitely here I was a little more calm [at Aronimink] because I've just played so much golf here. So it's a little easier to get settled in."

La Salle's P.J. Acierno fired the best round in the morning, a 66 at Aronimink, but never recovered in the afternoon at White Manor after double bogeys on two of his first four holes. His 78 left him 2 shots short of qualifying.

The qualifiers

(White Manor score first):

Kyle Sterbinsky, Yardley . . . 68-70-138

Henry Shimp, Charlotte, N.C. . . . 69-71-140

Matt Oshrine, Baltimore . . . 71-70-141

Michael Boss, Lewiston, N.Y. . . . 71-71-142

Michael Davis, Newtown Square . . . 71-71-142