Jones wins U.S. Amateur qualifier

YORK – Ricky Jones of Thomaston and Minghao Wang of Reunion, Fla., earned berths in this year’s U.S. Amateur Golf Championship by leading the field at a qualifying tournament held Tuesday at The Ledges Golf Course.

Jones won the event, shooting a first-round 69 and a second-round 72 to finish at 3-under 141, the only player in the field under par. He also qualified for the U.S. Amateur last year.

Bangor’s Jesse Speirs shot a 73 in the first round and a 72 in the second round to finish in a three-way tie for second place with Mike Cole of Lynn, Mass., and Minghao Wang of Reunion, Fla., at 1-over-par 145 to force a playoff.

Speirs bogeyed the first playoff hole to drop out of contention for the second berth in the U.S. Amateur. Wang then birdied the next hole to win the playoff and the trip to Pinehurst, N.C., where the U.S. Amateur will be held in August.

Cole finished as the first alternate, while Speirs is the second alternate.