On a day when the most-uttered words were hot and survival, no desert golfer managed to secure an automatic berth into U.S. Open final qualifying from a local qualifying event at Classic Club in Palm Desert.
With temperatures soaring over 100 degrees, the closest a desert golfer came to advancing out of the local qualifier was amateur Nick Ellis of Palm Desert. Ellis shot 2-under 70 on the calm but hot day at Classic Club, good for a three-way tie for fifth, with only the top five golfers from the 78-player field advancing to the second level of Open qualifying,
On the first playoff hole, the par-4 eighth hole, Ellis’ tee shot didn’t quite clear the large lake to the left side of the fairway, and while his second tee shot found the fairway, he finished the hole with a double-bogey 6. That left Ellis as the No, 2 alternate from the field. Jack Townsend of San Diego and John Dearth of West Covina each parred the hole, and Townsend would eventually win the playoff to secure the fifth berth, with Dearth becoming first alternate.
Three players, all amateurs, tied for medalist honors at the event with 68s. They were Alex Papayoanou of The Woodlands, Texas, Charlie Olsen of Newport Beach and Kurtis Rodriguez of Red Bluff. Another amateur, Kristof Panke of Davenport, Wash., was alone in fourth with a 69.
The temperatures were so warm during the qualifier that 14 players either never showed for the round, official withdrew from the tournament or failed to finish their round after starting.
Final qualifying will be held at 10 sites across the country, one site in England and one site in Japan between May 18 and June 8. The U.S. Open will be played June 18-21 at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, New York.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Heat, tough scoring conditions the story at Open qualifier at Classic Club
Reporting by Larry Bohannan, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
