Nathan Smith is getting accustomed to these last-minute phone calls. At least this time, he doesn't have to fly across the ocean for a chance to play in the U.S. Open.

Smith, 29, a former U.S. Mid-Amateur champion, is among 12 players with Western Pennsylvania connections playing today in one of 13 36-hole sectional qualifiers around the country, the last step of qualifying before the U.S. Open June 12-15 at Torrey Pines in LaJolla, Calif.

He will play in Columbus, Ohio, at two sites (Brookside Country Club and Ohio State's Scarlet Course), hoping to land one of the 22 spots available in a field of 144 players that includes many of the PGA Tour players who are not exempt into the U.S. Open, including Davis Love III and Fred Couples.

"It's one of those things, you just got to go out and play," said Smith, one of the area's top amateur players and a member at Wildwood Country Club. "In the back of your head, you know you can't make too many mistakes with those [PGA Tour] guys and you have to maximize your opportunities. It's tough, but it's exciting to be a part of it."

Smith gained entry to the Columbus field as an alternate, getting a spot when Sean O'Hair earned his way into the U.S. Open as one of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Rankings. Smith failed to advance in the 18-hole local qualifier at Tom's Run, shooting 1-under 71 to miss one of the two available qualifying spots by a stroke.

But for the second year in a row, Smith was informed by the United States Golf Association that his hopes of making it to his first U.S. Open are still alive.

Last year, Smith was in a similar situation as a first alternate and got a call from the USGA on Friday, informing him that a spot was available in a sectional qualifier Monday, just three days later. Problem was, the qualifier was in Surrey, England.

Because the U.S. Open last year was at Oakmont, Smith didn't hesitate. He and his dad quickly bought plane tickets, packed their bags and flew to England. Smith had time for one practice round and shot 72-74 in the qualifier, failing to obtain one of the available spots.

"I didn't know what was going to be coming through that phone when the USGA called [last Monday]," Smith said. "But, whatever it was, I was going. I was glad it was Columbus this time."

Smith will be one of five area players competing in Columbus, joining Highland amateur Trent Karlik, Marquette junior and Tri-State Amateur champion Mike Van Sickle of Pine, Oakmont amateur and Miami (Ohio) freshman Nathan Sutherland and part-time Nationwide Tour player Steve Wheatcroft of Washington.

Also, two PGA Tour players -- Greensburg native Rocco Mediate and Indiana, Pa., resident Jon Mills -- will be in the Columbus qualifier.

"All the good tour players are there, but they also have 20-some spots available," said Wheatcroft, 30, who lost his PGA Tour card after last season when he finished 206th on the money list. "I wanted to be somewhere where they gave a lot of spots as opposed to where there are only one or two spots and a guy might be playing lights-out. There are some good tour players there, but not the guys who you might be intimidated by if you are playing with them."

Four players -- St. Clair amateur Dave Brown, Birdsfoot Golf Club professional Dennis Munko, minitour player Bobby MacWhinnie of Upper St. Clair and former amateur Chip Zimmerman of Fox Chapel -- will play in a 36-hole qualifier at Springfield Country Club in Dayton, Ohio, where five spots are available for 73 players. Dayton is considered a spillover site for Columbus because the field is so large.

Zimmerman, now an assistant pro at the Cherokee Town & Country Club in Roswell, Ga., near Atlanta, shot 71 in a local qualifier in Marietta, Ga., to advance.

"There is a sectional qualifier five minutes down the road from our club, but I knew there weren't going to be a lot of spots available," Zimmerman said. "When I played [in a sectional qualifier] at Westmoreland Country Club a couple years ago, there was one spot available, and I said then, if I ever make it again I'm going to Columbus or Rockville, Md., where more spots are available."

Former Edgewood CC assistant Jonathan Prior, who qualified in Chesterton, Ind., will play in a sectional qualifier in Lake Forest, Ill., near Chicago.

There are 84 qualifying spots available at the 13 sites across the country.