Former Findlay (Ohio) Country Club director of golf Thomas Herzan qualified for the U.S. Senior Open three of the past five years, but each time he did so, the qualifier was in Columbus, Ohio.

This year, the qualifier in Columbus was played at a time that did not suit his schedule, so he decided to participate in the one yesterday at Fox Chapel Country Club.

It turned out to be a good decision as Herzan shot a 3-under par 67 to win by three shots and earn a spot in the U.S. Senior Open next month at Crooked Stick Golf Club in Carmel, Ind.

Herzan said he hopes this Senior Open trip will last longer than his previous three as he has yet to make a cut. He has played in three Senior Opens, six Senior PGAs and one Senior British Open, and the one thing experience has taught him is that it won't be easy.

"This will be my 11th major on the Championship Tour," Herzan said.

"It is hard. They make the course very difficult once you get there and so you have to make some shots and get a few breaks.

"I really thought I was going to make the cut the last time I was at the [Senior] Open and I was in good position after 27 holes to do so, but the last nine got away from me a little bit."

Herzan, who lives in Findlay, Ohio, the hometown of Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger (yes, he and his family are big fans of Big Ben), made four birdies on the front nine and shot a 31 then shot a 36 on the back side.

He had a chance to finish 4-under at 66 but missed a birdie putt on 18 and settled for a par.

"I've shot 66 before and not gotten the spot because someone came in lower, so every stroke was critical in my mind," Herzan said. "But I felt good walking off the green with a 67, knowing how tough this course was playing, how fast the greens were. I knew that would be a score that would put me in the hunt."

It was more than enough, as the next-best score was a 70 turned in by Canadian John Rushnell and Bentleyville's Phillip Ambrosy. Rushnell won the playoff with a par on the first extra hole, so he finished second and is designated as the first alternate from the qualifier.

"I've been the alternate three times before and haven't gotten the call," said Rushnell, the professional at Black Diamond Country Club in Ontario.

"But I was told that against this field at a course like this, there is a chance I could get one of those alternate spots, so we'll see.

"This was a beautiful course to play, I loved it, I just felt like I left a few shots out there, and that's how game usually goes."

Ambrosy hit his second shot on the playoff hole much closer to the pin than Rushnell's. Unfortunately for him, he blew his putt about 15 feet past the cup and left himself with a very difficult downhill putt for the par, which he missed.

Rushnell put his first putt within a few feet and knocked down an easy par putt for second place.