Yong Lee of Auburn, Wash. was the only player in a field of 61 to match par, and earned medalist honors at today's U.S. Senior Open qualifying held at Loomis Trail Golf Club in Blaine, Wash. Also qualifying is Erik Hanson of Kirkland, Wash.
Lee and Hanson will play in the 2015 U.S. Senior Open, to be held June 25-28 at Del Paso Country Club in Sacramento, Calif.
The Washington State Golf Association (WSGA) is the local representative of the United States Golf Association (USGA) and conducted this qualifier for the U.S. Senior Open Championship.
Lee, a former PGA club professional, made the turn at 3-under par but stumbled on the back side, finishing with an even-par 72. His round included five birdies and five bogeys.
Hanson just turned 50, becoming eligible to compete in the U.S. Senior Open qualifier, and this was his first attempt. He made a par on the first playoff hole against Darren Tucker of Arlington, Wash. to claim the final qualifying spot. Tucker had birdied the 415-yard par-4 18th hole to make it into the playoff.
Hanson, an amateur and a two-time winner (2007, 2011) of the Pacific Northwest Master-40 Championship, is a former big league pitcher with the Seattle Mariners.
The U.S. Senior Open is open to professional golfers and amateurs with a USGA Handicap Index not exceeding 3.4 who are 50 years of age at the start of championship play. Sectional qualifying is being played over 18 holes at 34 sites across the United States between May 11 and June 4.
A total of 2,445 golfers have entered to play in this year's championship. The USGA received entries for the 36th U.S. Senior Open from golfers in 49 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 25 foreign countries.
The U.S. Senior Open is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the USGA, 10 of which are strictly for amateurs.
