Michael Slesinski of La Quinta proved Tuesday the old golf adage that you keep playing until the last shot.
Slesinski’s final shot Tuesday in a U.S. Open local qualifying event at Andalusia Country Club in La Quinta was a 12-foot eagle putt on the par-5 18th hole. When the putt dropped into the cup, it vaulted Slesinski to 4-under 68 for the day and a berth into the next level of qualifying for the national championship.
“I was comfortable all day,” Slesinski said after making it through local qualifying for the third consecutive year. “I had a great pairing. Playing with a couple of guys, one of my buddies and one guy that played great (a 67). So had the good vibes going.”
Slesinski’s 68, which included four birdies and two bogeys in addition to the closing eagle, put him in a three-way tie for third in a field of 84 players, with only the low five scores moving to final qualifying next month. Seven players were in a playoff for first and second alternate spots at 69.
Brannon Fahrny of Yorba Linda, who plays college golf at Cal State Fullerton, had the low round of the day with an 8-under 64. Despite some periods of strong winds in the afternoon, Fahrny managed nine birdies and just a single three-putt bogey on the day.
“I’m going to attribute it to a lot of patience,” Fahrny said. “I’ve played this now for, coming back to the same site for, gosh, four years at least. So I’ve just stayed the course and gotten better every year.”
While Fahrny has been in playoffs for alternate sports out of Andalusia, this is the first time he has made it through to the final qualifying. That isn’t the case for Slesinski, who advanced from a first-stage qualifier at Bermuda Dunes Country Club in 2024 and through a qualifier at the Palmer Course at PGA West in La Quinta last year but has not made the Open field.
Slesinski’s key eagle came on a difficult par-5 18th that featured a demanding pin placement to the back and left of a long green protected by a lake to the front and left. After a strong drive, and with the winds helping him a bit, he had a decision to make.
“I had 255 (yards), was kind of in between (clubs), but I had some adrenaline going,” said Slesinksi, who last week finished second in the Southern California Open in Indian Wells.. “So I pulled a 4-iron. Picked a pretty conservative target, middle of the green, and I ended up pulling it a hair, honestly. But that’s why you pick a conservative target. Pulled it to the pin to 12 feet.”
Several desert golfers played well but missed advancing Tuesday, including a trio of former Palm Desert High School stars, Chris Wardrup (71), two-time U.S. Open participant Charlie Reiter (72) and John Kim (73).
Slesinski said he has requested a final qualifying site Sacramento, while Fahrny said he hopes to play a qualifying spot in Florida.
In a local qualifier Monday at Bermuda Dunes Country Club, Nathan LeBlanc of Palm Desert was the lowest desert golfer, finishing 14th with a 1-under 71. Ryan Gronlund of Pleasanton was medalist with a 67, with four other golfers advancing after shooting 68.
Three more local qualifiers for the men’s Open will be played in the desert in the next two weeks, including one at the Jones Course at Rancho La Quinta Country Club May 7.
This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Last-hole eagle vaults La Quinta golfer through U.S. Open local qualifier
Reporting by Larry Bohannan, Palm Springs Desert Sun / Palm Springs Desert Sun
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
