July is going to be a big month for University of Evansville golfer Griffin Wood, thanks to his play over the weekend. Wood captured first place on Sunday in the area qualifier for the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship, shooting 68 following Saturday's opening round of 70 to win the event at Cambridge Golf Club in Evansville by four strokes over Seth Fair and Thomas Hay.

The victory sends Wood into the USGA Public Links national tournament July 12-17 at Bryan Park Golf & Conference Center in Greensboro, N.C.

Wood birdied the eighth hole Sunday to take the lead for good, then birdied 16 and 17 to break away from the pack. He finished at 6-under-par 138.

Wood was UE's number two golfer behind Michael Sainz in 2009-10, with a 74.96 average in 27 rounds. He finished ninth in the 83-player Ball State Cardinal Collegiate Tournament, ninth among 50 golfers at the Butler Invitational, and 10th in a field of 70 at the Michigan State Spartan Classic. Wood was the Purple Aces' number two finisher at the State Farm MVC Championship in April, shooting a 54-hole total of 238 to place 16th in the field of 45. He was one of only two sophomores chosen for the MVC Men's Golf Scholar-Athlete Team, which included six seniors and three juniors.