SPRINGFIELD, Ohio — Only one of the 12 golfers with Utah connections was successful in sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open golf championship Monday.
Zac Blair, a former BYU golfer who grew up in Ogden and now lives in Orem, was one of five qualifiers in a field of 73 at the Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Ohio, where he shot a pair of 67s to finish in a tie for first place at 134.
When he plays at Pebble Beach next week (June 13-16), it will mark the second U.S. Open appearance for the 28-year-old Blair, who also qualified in 2014 at Pinehurst GC where he finished in a tie for 40th place.
At Big Canyon GC in Newport Beach, California, University of Utah golfer Mitchell Schow was only two shots off the pace after a 66 on the first 18 holes, but he shot a 74 in the afternoon and finished back at 140, six shots off the cutline.
Other Utah players in that sectional who didn’t advance included BYU golfer Carson Lundell (75-68), Park City’s Steele DeWald (72-72) and Holladay’s Kenny You (81-70).
At Walla Walla, Washington, where three of 55 golfers qualified, former BYU golfer Patrick Fishburn missed by four shots with scores of 70 and 71. Others who missed were Cottonwood’s B.J. Staten (72-78), Andrew Hess, an amateur from Layton (79-72) and former BYU golfer Justin Keiley (75-82).
At Brookside Golf & CC in Columbus, Ohio, where a score of 137 was needed, Sandy’s Charlie Duensing shot 71-73 and former BYU golfer Bobby Clampett shot 79-76.
At Woodmont CC in Maryland, Farmington’s Daniel Summerhays shot 150 and missed by eight shots.
Lehi’s Tony Finau will be playing in the U.S. Open, along with Sandy’s Mike Weir who previously qualified in Dallas last month when he tied for fifth at 136 and grabbed one of the 11 qualifying spots in the 102-player field.