A year ago, Utah’s Tony Finau and Daniel Summerhays both played well at the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, staying in contention much of the way before finishing in a tie for 14th place and a tie for 27th place, respectively.
In Monday’s U.S. Open sectional qualifying, Finau lost in a playoff for the final spot at his sectional, while Summerhays will have to wait until Tuesday morning to see if he can earn a spot in this year’s Open.
Summerhays is one of six golfers who tied for ninth place and must return Tuesday morning for a playoff to determine the final five spots in the Powell, Ohio, sectional that featured 103 players for 13 spots.
Finau tied for the fourth and final spot at the sectional in Springfield, Ohio. However, he lost in a playoff to recent Illinois graduate Charlie Danielson in a sudden-death playoff. As the first alternate, Finau still has a chance of getting into the Open.
For 10 other golfers with Utah ties, Monday was not a good day as none of them advanced to next week’s U.S. Open at Oakmont, Pennsylvania.
Ogden’s Zac Blair just missed qualifying in Springfield with rounds of 69 and 72 that left him in a tie for ninth place.
Former BYU golfer Joe Parkinson was tied for the lead after the first 18 holes at the Olympic Club Ocean Course in San Francisco with a 6-under-par 64 and in great position to claim one of the six spots. But he faltered in the afternoon round at Lake Merced with a 76 that left him at 140 in a tie for 16th place.
Park City amateur Mitchell Schow, who is headed to the University of Utah next year, was another shot back at 141 in a tie for 22nd, while former BYU golfer Andy Miller finished at 144.
Also playing in the California sectional were Park City amateur Justin Shluker (146), Salt Lake’s Jordan Rodgers (148) and Farmington’s Clay Ogden (150).
In Washington, BYU golfer Preston Alder finished well back with a 156 total. Scott Pinckney, who grew up in Orem before moving to Arizona, withdrew after shooting a 70 in the first round in Ohio.
South Jordan amateur Rhett Rasmussen was the only local player in the Jacksonville, Florida, sectional where he stood in a tie for 49th place when play was suspended Monday. Rasmussen shot 77 in the first roud and was 2-under through six holes in the second round, but would likely need to shoot a 62 or 63 to have a chance to grab one of the four spots available.