Scott Taylor of Monroe, Wash. shot 1-under 71 to earn medalist honors in leading the field of 65 players who competed today in U.S. Senior Open Sectional qualifying at the par-72 Sudden Valley Golf and Country Club in Bellingham, Wash. Taylor was the only player in the field to shoot under par.

The other player to advance from this qualifier is Jeff Coston of Blaine, Wash., who shot 1-over-par 73.

Taylor and Coston have earned the right to play in the 2019 U.S. Senior Open Championship, which will be held June 27-30 at the Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame (Ind).

• Qualifier Results – CLICK HERE

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.

Taylor, 59, is an unaffiliated professional. He had his round at 3-under after 12 holes, but bogeyed holes 13 and 15 to finish at 1-under.

Coston is a teaching professional who has won more regional PGA Section majors than any other player, with 20 victories to his credit. He has competed on both the PGA Tour and Champions Tour. In 2013 he was inducted into the Pacific Northwest Section PGA Hall of Fame.

Don Bidinger of Bainbridge Island, Wash. shot 2-over 74 and is the first alternate, while Fred Douglas of Gig Harbor, Wash. is second alternate after shooting 3-over 75. Both Bidinger and Douglas are amateurs.

The USGA accepted a total of 2,796 entries for the 2019 U.S. Senior Open Championship, and 79 golfers will advance to the championship through Sectional qualifying at 34 sites.

The U.S. Senior Open is open to professional golfers, and amateurs with a Handicap Index not exceeding 3.4 who are 50 years of age at the start of championship play.

Founded in 1922, the WSGA is a 501c4 non-profit, amateur golf association governed by men and women volunteers. Serving nearly 70,000 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.