SMU has a strong presence at this year’s U.S. Amateur Championship in Colorado this week, Aug. 13-19.

Four of the Mustangs’s finest are competing at the Cherry Hills Country Club. Matt Schovee (’12), Max Buckley (’12), incoming freshman Bryson Dechambeau and sophomore Sam Fidone.

Schovee is back in his hometown for the Championship, playing on a course where he is a longtime member. The left-hander shot a 2-over par 73 on Monday, placing him in 76th position and a 12:15 p.m. tee time Tuesday. Schovee was selected to the PING All-Central team this May and tied for first place at the 2012 NCAA East Regionals after starting off with a career-low 67 in the first round.
Buckley shot a 2-under par 68 on Monday. The recent SMU grad is from Rye, New York and was selected to the C-USA second team in 2012. He tied for second at the C-USA Championship with a season-low 7-under 209. Buckley teed off at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, results were not available at time of press.

Dechambeau is one of five incoming freshman of an impressive recruiting class. The California native was in the ninth spot of the Championship on Tuesday. His notable position among the competition was due to his 4-under 67 in the first round Monday.

“I chose SMU because of the back to back two-time National Championship winning coach [Josh] Gregory,” Dechambeau told Golfweek.com.

Fidone was selected to the C-USA All-Freshman Team last season and was named the 2010 Texas Junior Golf Player of the Year. The Texan shot a 73 Monday and finished 8-over par on Tuesday.

The four Mustangs follow in the footsteps of former SMU grads and U.S. Amateur Championship winners Colt Knost (’07) and Kelly Kraft (’11).