A look at the 13, 36-hole sectional qualifiers for the U.S. Open

Sunday, June 03, 2007

A look at tomorrow's 13 local qualifiers, the final step to making the 107th U.S. Open.

Compiled by staff writers Chuck Finder, Chico Harlan, Phil Axelrod and Paul Zeise, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

1. Bear Creek Country Club, Murrieta, Calif.
74 entrants -- 4 qualifying spots

Players to watch
Arvo Voip, 25, amateur from San Jose, Calif. Won the NCGA Public Links championship last year. Was the final player to file an entry to the 2007 U.S. Open, beating the deadline by 15 seconds.

Mike Sica, first year on tour. Shot a 3-under 69 at his local qualifier despite having to use a makeshift set of clubs because his were misplaced when he returned to California from an event in Canada.

Richard Lee, 16, student. He was the runner-up at the 2006 U.S. Junior and qualified for the U.S Amateur in 2005 as a 14-year old.

Rickie Fowler, 18, Murrieta, Calif., won the 2006 California high school championship and was a quarterfinalist at the U.S. Amateur.

The Course
The course was designed by Jack Nicklaus as a Signature Course and opened in 1983. It was designed to include as well as preserve 225 California oak trees, some of which are 200 years old.

2. Columbine Country Club, Littleton, Colo.
20 entrants -- 1 qualifying spots

Players to watch
David Duval, 35, professional golfer. The 2001 British Open champion and former No. 1 golfer in the world is tentatively scheduled to compete depending on the health of his wife, who is currently in the midst of a difficult pregnancy.

Dustin White, 26, fourth-year pro. A graduate of Washington State, White made it through both stages of qualifying last year but missed the cut in the U.S. Open at Winged Foot.

Michael Zaremba, 53, director of golf at Walking Stick Golf Course in Colorado. He qualified for the 2006 U.S. Senior Open.

The Course
It was established in 1955 and designed by Henry Hughes. It has played host to the U.S. Open qualifier every year since 1988. It is one of only two golf clubs in the state of Colorado to have played host to a major championship (1967 PGA).

3. Jupiter Hills Club, Tequesta, Fla.
47 entrants -- 2 qualifying spots

Players to watch
Marty D'Angelo, 41, tournament director and director of golf at Isleworth, which basically makes him Tiger Woods' Orlando-home pro

Fredrik Jacobson, 32, a Swede on the PGA Tour; he finished seventh at the Byron Nelson this year; his best stateside finishes were thirds in the 2003 FedEx St. Jude and U.S. Open.

The Course
Former pro and famed course architect George Fazio built his own club in southeast Florida in 1969. On a sand ridge 100 yards from the Atlantic Ocean and Intercoastal Waterway, the picturesque Hills Course consists of some extreme undulations and 15- to 20-mph ocean winds; combine that with recent drought conditions, it'll play firm and fast and Open-like.

4. Hawks Ridge Golf Club, Ball Ground, Ga.
36 entrants -- 3 qualifying spots

Players to watch
Larry Nelson, 60, winner of the 1983 U.S. Open at Oakmont by one stroke over Tom Watson in the rain-delayed tournament that took five days to finish. Nelson shot 4-under 280 with final two rounds of 65 and 67. Two-time winner of the PGA Championship, Nelson has been bothered by a hip injury on the Champions Tour.

Brian Quackenbush, 36, won the local qualifier with a 67 at Edgewood Country Club in Sissonville, W.Va. Currently on the Nationwide Tour, he has spent time on the PGA Tour.

Billy Andrade, 43, has won four PGA titles, most recently the 2000 Invensys Classic at Las Vegas.

The Course
Opened in 1999, the 7,146-yard Hawks Ridge Course is Bermuda grass with wickedly fast undulating greens that will prepare players for Oakmont. Ranked 81st among America's 100 Greatest Golf Course by Golf Digest magazine.

5. Riverside Golf Club, North Riverside, Ill.
45 entrants -- 5 qualifying spots

Players to watch
Len Mattiace, 39, 17-year pro. Has struggled of late, failing to cash on the PGA Tour this year and has missed five consecutive cuts. He is best known for finishing second to Mike Weir at the 2003 Masters.

James Driscoll, 29, has six years on the Nationwide Tour. Was the runner-up at the 2000 U.S. Amateur and a member of the U.S. Walker Cup team.

Chip Beck, 50, a former PGA pro. He finished runner-up at the 1986 and '89 U.S. Opens.

Matt Weibring, 27, Nationwide Tour player. Has won $259,898 in his career.

J.C. Anderson, 45, golf pro at Quincy Country Club in Illinois. He last qualified for the U.S. Open 19 years ago but missed the cut at The Country Club in Brookline Mass.

The Course
Riverside, which opened in 1893, is one of the older courses used for the qualifiers. It was designed by Charles McDonald and is 6,661 yards, par 71.

6. Indian Hills Country Club, Mission Hills, Kan.
22 entrants -- 1 qualifying spots

Players to watch
Jed Dirksen, 18, senior at Hamtpon-Dumont High School in Iowa who was medalist with a 1-under 70 in local qualifier in Davenport, Iowa. Is one of the youngest players in the entire field of sectional qualifiers.

Chris Mabry, 24, finished first with a 4-under 66 in the local qualifier at Kansas City Country Club in his debut as a professional.

Matt Gogel, 36, has competed in only one PGA Tour event this year and has picked up only one title, the 2002 Pebble Beach National Pro-AM.

The Course
The 6,474-yard Indiana Hills Country Club, which was designed by A.W. Tillinghast and opened in 1923, demands accuracy off the tee and requires knowledge of the layout on approach shots.

7. Woodmont Country Club, Rockville, Md.
65 entrants -- 5 qualifying spots

Players to watch
Peter Uih-lein, 17, one of the top-ranked juniors in the world, with bloodlines as strong as his game; his late grandfather was Woodmont's head pro for 30 years, and his father is CEO of the Acushnet Co., maker of Titleist.

Brad Faxon, 47, a longtime PGA player who has struggled this year, making the cut in only two of 11 events; he has won one tournament, the 2005 Buick Championship.

Clayton Rotz, 18, one of 10 Pennsylvanians playing in Rockville, he's a student at Chambersburg High School and a standout; he'll play golf next year at LSU.

The Course
Woodmont, founded in 1913, is known for its fast and sloping greens.

8. Old Oaks/Century Clubs, Purchase, N.Y.
58 entrants -- 3 qualifying spots

Players to watch
Justin Regier, son of Buffalo Sabres general manager Darcy Regier. He advanced after shooting 67 at the local qualifer May 18 in Buffalo, N.Y. He just finished his senior year at Florida Tech.

George Marucci Jr., 55, a career amateur and captain of the 2007 U.S. Walker Cup team. Marucci was the runner-up to Tiger Woods at the 1995 U.S. Amateur and played on the 1995 and 1997 Walker Cup teams.

Ricky Barnes of Scottsdale, Ariz., winner of the 2002 U.S. Amateur. He was low amateur at the 2003 Masters, finishing 21st.

The Course
Old Oaks Country Club, 25 miles north of New York City, dates to 1898 and includes an 18-hole Tillinghast-designed course. Century Country Club., opened in 1908, is a 6,807-yard, par 71 course.

9. Ohio State Golf Club and Scioto Country Club, Columbus, Ohio
144 entrants -- 24 qualifying spots

Players to watch
Barring a strong finish and an exemption in today's nearby Memorial, Ryder Cup captain Paul Azinger, Tom Lehman, Billy Mayfair and Bart Bryant -- all former PGA Tour winners -- are slated for this star-studded sectional qualifier.

Other tour victors such as Greensburg's Rocco Mediate, Mark O'Meara, Bob Tway, Robert Gamez, Tim Herron, Jonathan Byrd, Skip Kendall, Frank Lickliter II plus 2007 event winners Mark Calcavecchia, Charley Hoffman, Boo Weekley, Sean O'Hair.

Pittsburgh connection
Includes Quicksilver qualifiers RMU Island Golf Center instructor Kevin Shields, former mini-tour pro Erik Bertrand, of Mount Oliver, and Sewickley Academy senior William Miller, 18; Marquette sophomore and Pine-Richland High School graduate Mike Van Sickle, 20, qualified in Wisconsin; Bob Ford, of Oakmont Country Club, advanced this far on exempt status by being the host pro.

The Course
At the 69-year-old Ohio State facility, the Jack Nicklaus-refurbished Scarlet Course has played host to several NCAA championships, Big Ten Conference championships and Ohio state championships; Scioto, was home to the 1986 U.S. Senior Open, the 1950 PGA, 1931 Ryder Cup and 1926 U.S. Open. Fans can see such pro competition for free at both courses.

10. Colonial Country Club, Memphis, Tenn.
117 entrants -- 15 qualifying spots

Players to watch
John Daly, 41, a hometown hero, has won the 1991 PGA Championship and 1995 British Open in a roller coaster career plagued by off-the-course problems and minor injuries. Trying to qualify for the first time, he currently is 176th on the money list and hasn't won an event since the 2004 Buick Open.

Larry Mize, 49, has won four PGA titles including the 1987 Masters, when he birdied the final hole in regulation and then chipped in from 140 feet for a birdie on the par-4 11th hole to win a three-way playoff with Seve Ballesteros and Greg Norman. Hasn't won since 1993.

The largest qualifying field features a number of Tour regulars, including Steve Elkington, Ben Crane, Bob Estes, Dan Forsman, Paul Goydos, Hank Kuehne, Jeff Maggert and Duffy Waldorf.

The Course
The 6,646-yard South Course features numerous doglegs and puts a premium on placement and the 7,336-yard North Course provides more challenges with thick, long rough and rolling greens.

11. Northwood Club, Dallas
30 entrants -- 3 qualifying spots

Players to watch
Corey Pavin, 48, winner of 15 Tour events with the most recent the 2006 Bank Championship in Milwaukee. A short hitter with a dynamic short game, Pavin's best finish this year is tied for sixth at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.

Tommy Amour III, 48, a journeyman pro has won two Tour events, most recently the 2003 Valero Texas Open. Currently ranks 88th on the money list with $499,259 winnings.

Justin Leonard, 35, a Dallas native with 10 Tour wins, hasn't fulfilled the potential he flashed by winning the 1997 British Open. Should feel right at home on course he has played often throughout the years.

The Course
The 6,835-yard Northwood Golf Course is Bermuda grass with a par of 71 over a basically flat layout that is typical in this part of the country. Bunkered greens can create problems for those with a shaky putter.

12. Olympic Course, Bremerton, Wash.
20 entrants -- 1 qualifying spots

Players to watch
Erik Hanson, 42, former major-leaguer. Hanson was a pitcher who played for the Blue Jays, Reds, Red Sox and Mariners during a career that spanned from 1988-98. He was an American League All-Star in 1995. He has previously qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur.

Alexander Prugh, 22, just finished at the University of Washington. A quarterfinalist at the 2006 U.S. Amateur. His father, Stephen, qualified for the 2006 U.S. Senior Open.

Mitchell Gillis, 23, just finished at Oregon State. Won three major golf events in Oregon last summer, including the 23rd Pacific Northwest Golf Association Men's Amateur Public Links

The Course
The Olympic Course at Gold Mountain Golf Club was opened in 1996. It played host to the 2006 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. Putting and chipping is challenging because it features fast greens and heavy bunkering.

13. Walton Heath Golf Club, Surrey, England
72 entrants -- 9 qualifying spots

Players to watch
Ryder Cup regular Darren Clarke, former U.S. Open runner-up Miguel Angel Jimenez, Tiger Woods' ex-Stanford teammate Notah Begay III and 1999 British Open winner Paul Lawrie are among the European Tour pros attempting to qualify in a field that numbered 73 late last week.

Twenty-four players withdrew last year, among them famed Jean "Tin Cup" Van de Velde of 1999 British Open 18th infamy.

The Course
It is a heathland layout where links meet inland golf. Ranked among the top 100 courses in the world, with fairways lined with heather and summertime blossoms. Only club to have a monarch as its captain, King Edward VII in 1935-36. Winston Churchill played the Old Course, which, built in 1903, is four years older than the New Course.

First published on June 2, 2007 at 11:27 pm