US Open Sectional Qualifying
Del Paso CC
June 7, 2010
Joseph Bramlett
SACRAMENTO – For U.S. Open Sectional medalist Erick Justesen, the third time is the charm.
After failing to advance from local qualifying the last two years, the 25-year-old Canadian tour member earned a spot in next week’s U.S. Open field at Pebble Beach via stellar rounds of 65-68 for a 9-under-par 133 total. The 2006 NCGA Stroke Play champion had partial Nationwide status in 2009, and his game took its lumps in his first year as a pro. “I learned a lot last year. I practice more now and play in less tournaments. I’ve been playing well but sometimes my driver gets me into trouble and I’m not mature enough to stop using it.”
The 2008 Stanislaus alum is a part-time caddie at Pebble, and realizes the enormity of the accomplishment: “The U.S. Open is my dream; Pebble is just icing on the cake. But I think playing there might give me a sense of security. I’m definitely excited for that.”
The sectional was one of 13 nationally conducted by the USGA. With only 4.5% of the field advancing in Sacramento, competitors faced the stiffest odds of any of the 13 sites (the Columbus, Ohio sectional – well stocked with PGA Tour players – had 120 players competing for 15 spots).
The other qualifiers included amateur Joseph Bramlett, a graduating senior at Stanford who has now fully recovered from a wrist injury that hobbled the 2005 State Amateur finalist (which was contested at Pebble Beach) the past two seasons; Kenny Kim, a professional from Cerritos who is competing on California’s professional mini-tours and amateur Andrew Putnam of University Place, Washington (after a two-hole playoff). John Ellis of San Jose was first alternate while Dillon Dougherty of La Quinta, who had holed a bunker shot for birdie to get into the four-player playoff, ended up as second alternate.
Del Paso CC hosted the 36-hole event, set up at 7,121 yards, par 71, and perhaps experienced its biggest test since unveiling a comprehensive renovation in 2006. “This is the most talent we’ve had here,” said Superintendent Mark McKinney, CGCS. Greens were double cut and rolled, promoting truer and faster conditions, but light rough and even lighter wind fired up low scoring in a hurry.
The opening round witnessed 35 scores at par or better (out of a field of 87). The motto of the day became go low or go home. Joel Kribel’s previous course-record 66 got lowered by a stroke by three players in the opening round alone, and then lowered again to a 7-under 64, fired by Daniel Wax of Pacific Palisades.
Local favorite and former NCGA Player of the Year Spencer Levin, fresh off a red-eye flight after making the cut at Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament in Columbus, was unable to generate any momentum after opening with a double bogey, and finished at 140, three shots out of the playoff.
The U.S. Open kicks off with first-round action next Thursday.
Results
| Erick Justesen | Sacramento, Calif. | 65-68–133 | |
| Joseph Bramlett (A) | Saratoga, Calif. | 65-71–136 | |
| Kenny (Yun-Gi) Kim | Cerritos, Calif. | 69-67–136 | |
| Andrew Putnam (A) | University Place, Wash. | 72-65–137 | |
| Failed to Qualify | |||
| John Ellis | San Jose, Calif. | 70-67–137 | First Alt. |
| Dillon Dougherty | La Quinta, Calif. | 72-65–137 | Second Alt. |
| Bhavik Patel (A) | Bakersfield, Calif. | 69-68–137 | |
| Andrew Kramer (A) | Chino Hills, Calif. | 68-70–138 | |
| Daniel Wax | Pacific Palisades, Calif. | 74-64–138 | |
| Jeff Rangel | Martinez, Calif. | 69-69–138 | |
| Michael Walton | Indian Wells, Calif. | 66-72–138 | |
| Paul Imondi | Tustin, Calif. | 65-73–138 | |
| John Young Kim (A) | Los Alamitos, Calif. | 72-67–139 | |
| Kevin Wentworth (A) | Arnold, Calif. | 69-70–139 | |
| Mark Warman | San Clemente, Calif. | 69-70–139 | |
| Nathan Celusta | Newbury Park, Calif. | 71-68–139 | |
| Andy Miller | Boston, Mass. | 74-66–140 | |
| Erik Flores | Grass Valley, Calif. | 69-71–140 | |
| Joshua Warthen | Arroyo Grande, Calif. | 69-71–140 | |
| Michael Weaver (A) | Fresno, Calif. | 69-71–140 | |
| Spencer Levin | Roseville, Calif. | 70-70–140 | |
| Steve Ziegler (A) | Broomfield, Colo. | 70-70–140 | |
| Taylor Wood | Irvine, Calif. | 71-69–140 | |
| Charlie Wi | Oxnard, Calif. | 69-72–141 | |
| Jeff Hart | Solana Beach, Calif. | 70-71–141 | |
| Joel Kribel | Phoenix, Ariz. | 68-73–141 | |
| John Chin (A) | Temecula, Calif. | 71-70–141 | |
| Benjamin Bauch (A) | Trabuco Canyon, Calif. | 70-72–142 | |
| Estanislao Guerrero (A) | San Diego, Calif. | 71-71–142 | |
| Jason Higton (A) | Fresno, Calif. | 69-73–142 | |
| Patrick Cantlay (A) | Los Alamitos, Calif. | 69-73–142 | |
| Sam Smith (A) | Turlock, Calif. | 67-75–142 | |
| Bryan Hogan (A) | Bakersfield, Calif. | 75-68–143 | |
| Chan Kim (A) | Gilbert, Ariz. | 71-72–143 | |
| David Berganio | Sylmar, Calif. | 75-68–143 | |
| Jay Hwang (A) | San Diego, Calif. | 72-71–143 | |
| Jon Peterson (A) | Granite Bay, Calif. | 71-72–143 | |
| Liam Kendregan | Mt Vernon, Wash. | 73-70–143 | |
| Michael Ruiz | Las Vegas, Nev. | 69-74–143 | |
| Nicholas Seymour | Santa Ana, Calif. | 71-72–143 | |
| Taylor Haden (A) | Manhattan Beach, Calif. | 74-69–143 | |
| A J Shiffert | Visalia, Calif. | 73-71–144 | |
| Douglas Diemer | San Diego, Calif. | 74-70–144 | |
| Eric Dugas | Waikoloa, Hawaii | 74-70–144 | |
| Grant Norton (A) | Rancho Murieta, Calif. | 72-72–144 | |
| Ted Oh | Torrance, Calif. | 74-70–144 | |
| Adam Frey | Cypress, Calif. | 73-72–145 | |
| Alex Shi Yup Kim (A) | Fullerton, Calif. | 72-73–145 | |
| Daniel Horning | Palm Desert, Calif. | 73-72–145 | |
| Garrett Sapp | Cerritos, Calif. | 73-72–145 | |
| Jack Hoenes (A) | Watsonville, Calif. | 77-68–145 | |
| Joe Sanders (A) | Incline Village, Nev. | 71-74–145 | |
| Michael Allen | Scottsdale, Ariz. | 74-71–145 | |
| John Kollus (A) | San Diego, Calif. | 75-71–146 | |
| Luke Hickmott | Sandhurst | 72-74–146 | |
| Mark Anguiano (A) | Whittier, Calif. | 69-77–146 | |
| Matt Cohn (A) | San Francisco, Calif. | 75-71–146 | |
| Michael Kim (A) | Del Mar, Calif. | 72-74–146 | |
| Brian Koehler (A) | Rancho Cordova, Calif. | 76-71–147 | |
| Pace Johnson (A) | Fresno, Calif. | 72-75–147 | |
| Aaron Hobbs | Rancho Cucamonga, Calif. | 71-77–148 | |
| Chad Morris | Long Beach, Calif. | 73-75–148 | |
| Cory Mehl (A) | Seattle, Wash. | 75-73–148 | |
| Mark Scheibach (A) | Bermuda Dunes, Calif. | 72-76–148 | |
| Dane Petersen (A) | El Dorado Hills, Calif. | 75-74–149 | |
| Isaac Sanchez | Folsom, Calif. | 75-74–149 | |
| Philip Chian (A) | Covina, Calif. | 75-74–149 | |
| Rui Takamatsu | Beaumont, Calif. | 78-71–149 | |
| Brian Campbell (A) | Irvine, Calif. | 74-76–150 | |
| Michael Fan (A) | Pearl City, Hawaii | 74-76–150 | |
| Niall Platt (A) | Santa Barbara, Calif. | 73-77–150 | |
| Royden Heirakuji (A) | Makawao, Hawaii | 78-72–150 | |
| Eric Wohlfield | Brighton, Mich. | 72-79–151 | |
| Stephen Nichols (A) | East Lansing, Mich. | 72-79–151 | |
| Charles Rider (A) | Centennial, Colo. | 79-73–152 | |
| Frank Luchowski | Kihei, Hawaii | 76-77–153 | |
| Mark Mallin (A) | Cupertino, Calif. | 77-76–153 | |
| Roger Pineda | Menlo Park, Calif. | 75-78–153 | |
| Paul Rice (A) | Redlands, Calif. | 77-77–154 | |
| Arnold Yoon (A) | Buena Park, Calif. | 78-80–158 | |
| Jonathan Carlson (A) | Kelseyville, Calif. | 77-81–158 | |
| Mark Mance | San Francisco, Calif. | 81-78–159 | |
| Cory Furgason | Grass Valley, Calif. | 83-77–160 | |
| Bryan Anderson | Anchorage, Alaska | 80-83–163 | |
| Douglas Stacy (A) | Kahului, Hawaii | 86-83–169 | |
| Tim Hogarth (A) | Northridge, Calif. | 69-WD–WD |