OXFORD, Miss. While students are making their way back to campus this weekend as classes begin Monday at Ole Miss, one student will be a little late. Senior golfer Kyle Ellis will be participating in the 107th U.S. Amateur Championships at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, beginning Aug. 20. 

Ellis qualified for the prestigious U.S. Amateur by capturing medalist honors at the sectional qualifier at Reunion Golf Club in Madison, earlier this month.  He was one of two players at that qualifier to earn a spot in the field, along with Canton’s Trey Denton.

The Senatobia native will be competing in his second U.S. Amateur, also qualifying in 2005.

The first and second rounds of stroke play are set for Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 20-21) at the Lakeside and Ocean Courses at the Olympic Club. All match play rounds will be played at the Lakeside Course, beginning Wednesday.  The field of 312 golfers will be reduced to the lowest 64 scorers, who will advance to match play. All matches are 18 holes except the final match. The 36-hole championship final match is scheduled for Sunday, Aug. 26.

The champion receives an exemption into the 2008 U.S. Open and British Open, and a probable invitation to play in the 2008 Masters Tournament, if he remains an amateur. He also receives a 10-year exemption into the U.S. Amateur field so long as he remains an amateur.

The Olympic Club has hosted eight USGA championships.  Included in the mix are four U.S. Opens and two U.S. Amateurs. It hosted the Open in 1955, 1966, 1987 and 1998. The Amateur was contested at Olympic in 1958 and 1981.

Ellis will tee off Monday beginning at 9 a.m. CT from the Ocean Course.  To follow him throughout the championship go to www.olemisssports.com and click on the link to the U.S. Amateur site.