DeKALB | Pierrick Fillon has played golf since he was nine years old in his hometown of Voreppe, France.

The senior golfer, who joined the Huskies in 2013, has not taken this summer off of golf, as he qualified to play in the 116th US Amateur Championship, which began Aug. 15 at the Oakland Hills Country Club in Bloomfield, Mich.

To qualify for the US Amateur Championship, Fillon had to shoot 5-under-par and score 139 in a 36-hole course qualifier in July at Naperville Country Club.

During his last round of the day, Fillon shot a 67 and tied for the lowest round of the day, earning a co-medalist honor for the qualifier. Fillon said this was one of his best accomplishments.

The country club, founded by Joseph Mack and Norval Hawkins in 1916, began with 312 qualifiers participating in a 36-hole stroke play on the north and south courses, with the bottom 64 advancing in the tournament, according to the US Golf Association’s website.

The senior shot a respectable 74-69 — 143 but failed to advance to the next leg of the tournament. Fillon was grateful for the opportunity and impressed with the tournament.

“It’s crazy seeing all of the volunteers and everybody who is responsible for making an event like this possible,” Fillon said. “I didn’t realize how big [the course] was until I got there.”

The tight fairways and tough greens at the country club provide a unique challenge to the best amateur players in the world, with Fillon calling it ‘kind of like a US open layout.’

Participating in this tournament with the best amateur players in the world created a breakthrough moment for Fillon, who realized he has the ability to compete with the best-of-the-best.

“I look up at those guys who are on top and realize that I’m closer to that level than I ever imagined,” Fillon said. “I have not played at my best level for the last three years, so being able to play in this tournament is a huge confidence boost.”

Fillon will carry his success over to a new season of Huskie golf where he believes in the team.

“I think we’ll have a great season,” Fillon said. “We have a great group of guys and a few new guys.”

The coaching staff will work with a team of five seniors and three incoming freshmen.

“Overall, I think the program took a big step forward this year,” said head coach Tom Porten. “We were toe-to-toe with [the] best teams in the conference and the country.”