Roslyn, Wash. - Daniel Miernicki of Santee, Calif. shot a 3-under par 67 and took medalist honors in leading the field of 121 players who competed today in U.S. Open local qualifying at the par-70 Tumble Creek Club in Roslyn, Wash.
Along with Miernicki, six other players advanced from this local qualifier to the sectional qualifier, which will be held on June 6. The 2016 U.S. Open Championship is being held June 16-19 at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club.
The Washington State Golf Association (WSGA) is the local representative of the United States Golf Association (USGA) and conducted this local qualifier for the U.S. Open Championship.
Under ideal weather conditions, Miernicki made the turn at 3-under par and completed the back nine with nine consecutive pars.
Miernicki, 26, played four years at the University of Oregon, winning a school-record five individual titles and being named All-American his senior year. He turned professional in 2012 and currently plays on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada, where he won one tournament in 2015.
Among the other players to qualify are Aaron Whalen of Ephrata, Wash., a freshman at Washington State University who twice won the 2A boys' state high school championship; Brian Thornton, a PGA professional at Meridian Valley CC in Kent, Wash. who won the 2009 Washington Open, 2010 Northwest Open and 2012 Oregon Open; Carl Yuan of Lake Mary, Fla., a freshman at the University of Washington; and Chris Killmer of Bellingham, Wash., who played for the University of Washington, graduating in 2010, and now competes on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada.
In a playoff for the final two spots, Sam Warkentin of Bainbridge Island, Wash. and Corey Prugh of Spokane, Wash. both made par on the first hole, securing their spot. Warkentin, a freshman at the University of Washington, was named the 2015 WSGA Junior Boys' Player of the Year, after winning the WJGA State Championship and the 3A high school state championship. Prugh, 34, is a PGA professional at Spokane's Manito G&CC, and who is a four-time winner of the PGA Section's Rosauers Open Invitational; he also qualified for the 2012 PGA Championship.
For hole-by-hole scoring of this local qualifier, click here.
The USGA accepted 9,877 entries for the 2016 U.S. Open Championship, the third-most amount, behind the record 10,127 accepted for the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 and the 9,882 entries accepted for last year's championship at Chambers Bay, in University Place, Wash. To be eligible, golfers must either be a professional, or be an amateur with a Handicap Index of 1.4 or less.
Local qualifying, which is played over 18 holes at 111 sites in the United States, will take place between May 2-19. Sectional qualifying, played over 36 holes, will be conducted on Monday, May 23, in Japan, on Monday, May 30, in England and on Monday, June 6, at 10 sites in the United States.
Founded in 1922, the WSGA is a 501c4 non-profit, amateur golf association governed by men and women volunteers. Serving over 68,000 individual members at more than 550 member golf clubs and 270 golf courses throughout the state of Washington and Northern Idaho, the WSGA works to continually expand the game of golf to people of all backgrounds.
The WSGA also serves as a statewide representative of the USGA and works closely with a number of allied associations within the golf industry for the betterment of the game.
