Roundup: 3-Time USGA Champion Moore Heading To Open


June 4, 2007

Austin Eaton III tries qualifying at the Purchase, N.Y., site but came up short Monday. (John Mummert/USGA)

Moore, who turned professional late in 2005, finished second at last week's Memorial Tournament with a closing round 6-under-par 66. As an amateur, he won the 2004 U.S. Amateur and the 2002 and 2004 Amateur Public Links.

At the largest qualifying site (144 players) Monday, Moore shared low scoring honors with long-hitting lefthander Bubba Watson, who shot 65-71-136, at the Columbus site, which used the Ohio State Scarlet Golf Club and Scioto Country Club.  Twenty-four players earned spots in the 156-player U.S. Open field at this qualifier including Harrison Frazier, Jerry Kelly, Ken Duke and Todd Fischer, who all trailed Moore and Watson by one stroke at 137.

Prominent players not advancing at the first Columbus site were Mark Calcavecchia (70-73-143), Rocco Mediate (71-72-143), Jesper Parnevik (75-69-144), 1996 U.S. Open champion Steve Jones (70-74-144), John Cook (71-74-145), Tom Lehman (71-74-145), and Bob Tway (75-73-148). PGA Tour rookie Anthony Kim gained the last of the 24 berths in an 11-for-1 playoff.

In the other site connected to a PGA Tour event in Memphis, Tenn., Darron Stiles shot 12-under-par 131 (69-62) at Colonial Country Club's North and South Courses to head 16 qualifiers there. Kirk Triplett (68-65-133) and Brandt Snedeker (65-68-133), the 2003 Amateur Public Links champion, were close behind Stiles.

Remnants of Tropical Storm Barry caused weather conditions that forced suspension of play at several sites.

A total of 83 qualifying spots in the U.S. Open field of 156 players were available prior to the beginning of sectional qualifying. Eighty spots were available at 14 sites Monday after three places had previously been earned May 28 in Japan.

At Bear Creek Golf Club in Murrietta, Calif., PGA Tour player Kevin Sutherland of Fresno, Calif., used a hole-in-one en route to a 7-under-par 65 in his morning round, then coasted home with an even-par 72 in the afternoon to earn medalist honors at 7-under-par 137.

Sutherland was three strokes clear of Australian Andrew Buckle (70-70-140) and 2006 U.S. Junior Amateur runner-up Richard Lee, 16, of Chandler, Ariz. (69-71-140).  Both of those players birdied their final hole in the afternoon to avoid what became a 4-for-1 playoff, Lee making a 3 on the 18th hole and Buckle two-putting for 4 on the par-5 ninth hole. Michael Block of Aliso Viejo, Calif. (69-72-141) birdied the first playoff hole to become the fourth qualifier.

The 42-year-old Sutherland had six birdies and just a single bogey (on his final hole) in his morning round but sank a 6-iron from 186 yards on the par-3 eighth hole for a hole-in-one.  "The funny thing is," Sutherland said, "that no one in the group saw it go in.  When we got to the green, I looked at the ball mark and said to myself 'I'll bet it went in' and when I looked in the cup there it was."  It was his first ace since the 17th hole of the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic's Palmer Course at PGA West several years ago.

At Century Country Club in Purchase, N.Y., after a long weather delay, Frank Bensel, an assistant professional at Century from Greenwich, Conn.(72-68-140) and Geoffrey Sisk of Marshfield, Mass. (73-67-140) edged 2002 U.S. Amateur champion, now professional, Ricky Barnes of Scottsdale, Ariz., by one stroke (72-69) to take the three available positions. This will be Barnes' fourth U.S. Open, but first as a pro.

At Hawks Ridge Golf Club in Ball Ground, Ga., Lee Williams of Alexander City, Ala., and University of Alabama amateur Mark Harrell of Hazlehurst, Ga., each posted 7-under-par 137s (67-70) to share medalist honors, a stroke ahead of PGA Tour member and 2006 U.S. Open participant Jason Dufner (69-69) of Auburn, Ala.  Williams, a member of the Nationwide Tour, was a two-time USA Walker Cup team member as an amateur and is playing in his second Open. Matt Kuchar (68-71--139) of Atlanta, the 1997 U.S. Amateur champion, is the first alternate.

Larry Nelson, who won the 1983 U.S. Open at Oakmont, missed qualifying with scores of 72-72—144. Also failing to qualify was Billy Andrade (75-69-144), who has played in 11 Opens.

At Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Fla., a pair of amateurs — Jeff Golden of Winter Park, Fla., and Chris Condello of Heathrow, Fla., earned the two qualifying spots.  Golden, who played college golf at Rollins College, was the medalist, shooting 2-over-par 142 (67-75). Condello, who plays at Columbia University and was the 2007 Ivy League Champion, shot 73-70-143.

At Walton Heath Golf Club in Surrey, England, Nick Dougherty of England (66-70), Darren Fichardt of South Africa (68-68) and Peter Hanson of Sweden (68-68) all shot 8-under-par 136 over the Old and New courses to head nine qualifiers from eight different countries. Dougherty is a former Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cupper.

Hanson was also the low scorer at Walton Heath in 2005. (see story at http://www.europeantour.com)

"I like it here," said the 30-year-old Swede. "We said eight under was the target for two rounds. Sometimes it works out and sometimes it adds pressure. Two years ago, I qualified for Pinehurst and that was my first major. I have played a few since then and know a little more about it. I haven't played well the last couple of weeks but found something here. It is going to be good at Oakmont."

One stroke behind the leading trio were Marcus Fraser of Australia (66-71-137), former GB&I Walker Cupper Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland (69-68-137) and Miguel Rodriguez of Argentina (71-66-137). Notable among those who missed qualifying were past European Ryder Cuppers Paul McGinley (71-71-142), Darren Clarke (75-72-147) and Miguel Angel Jimenez (74-74-148).

At Columbine Country Club in Columbine Valley, Colo., Jason Allen of Pueblo, Colo., shot 2-under-par 140 (68-72) to take the only spot in a field of 20 players. Allen, who birdied the first playoff hole to win the spot, is making his second trip to the Open, his first since 1998.

At Riverside Golf Club in North Riverside, Ill., Jeff Brehaut of Los Altos, Calif. (70-70), and Mike Small of Champaign, Ill. (71-69), the men's golf coach at the University of Illinois, each shot 2-under-par 140 to share medalist honors.

At Indian Hills Country Club in Mission Hills, Kan., Michael Berg of Detroit Lake, Minn., won the sole spot, birdieing the 522-yard, par-5 18th in a playoff with amateur Mark Elliott of Topeka, Kan. Berg shot even par 73-67-140 to edge Elliott (69-71), who gained the first alternate place.

At Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md., amateur Rhys Davies of Wales, who played on two Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup sides along with being an All-American at East Tennessee State University, secured medalist honors with a 7-under-par 137 (72-65) to top PGA Tour veterans Joey Sindelar (69-69-138) and Fred Funk (68-71-139) by two strokes for three of the five spots. A three-way playoff for the final two positions was played Tuesday, with amateurs Philip Pettit Jr. of Murfreesboro, Tenn. (68-72-140), 2005 Amateur Public Links runner-up Martin Ureta of Chile (72-68-140) earning the spots. The 2004 U.S. Amateur runner-up, Luke List of Ringgold, Ga. (72-68-140), is the first alternate.  Missing qualification at Woodmont was PGA Tour veteran Brad Faxon (72-69-141).

Funk will be playing in his 19th Open and Sindelar in his 18th.

At Double Eagle Club in Columbus, Ohio,Jason Kokrak of Warren, Ohio (69-68-137) andTom Gillis of Oxford, Mich. (65-72-137), doubled up as medalists with four spots available.

At Northwood Club in Dallas, despite a long day of weather delays, Hunter Mahan of Plano, Texas earned the medal by shooting 6-under 136 (73-63). He earned one of three spots with 1992 U.S. Amateur champion and '92 USA World Amateur Team member Justin Leonard (70-67) and Ryan Palmer (69-68), both of whom trailed by just a stroke. Mahan was the 1999 U.S. Junior Amateur champion, runner-up at the 2002 Amateur and played on the 2002 USA World Amateur team.

Corey Pavin, the 1995 U.S. Open champion, failed to qualify when he shot 72-68-140.

At Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton, Wash., amateur Alex Prugh of Spokane, Wash., shot 4-under-par 140 (71-69) to take the lone position by three strokes. He played college golf at the University of Washington.

The USGA instituted international qualifying in 2005 and Michael Campbell, who won at Pinehurst that year, came from the Walton Heath qualifier.