Cle Elum, Wash. (May 17, 2012) – Rope Rider in Cle Elum, Wash. hosted 111 competitors hoping to earn one of seven qualifying places into a U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier. Right from the start, it was clear that the course would pose quite the challenge as wind gusts of up to 25 miles per hour greeted the competitors at the first tee.
In the end, Dan Whitaker of Ellensburg, Wash. outlasted the course, the elements, and the field with a 1-under par 71 to earn medalist honors and a ticket to the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier. Whitaker got off to an impressive start, posting a 3-under par 33 on the front nine, including a hole-out eagle on the par-4 9th. “I was in the left rough and there was a hard wind from my left so I hit a punch pitching wedge and it just hooked in,” Whitaker said about the eagle. A group of family and friends gathering around the green let out a roar as the ball tracked toward the hole and fell in. Whitaker continued his strong play on the back nine despite a bogey on the 10th en route to the top spot and a trip to his 3rd U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier. “I played the back more conservatively, hit to the safer side of greens, lagged putts,” Whitaker said about his back nine, “and my tee shots on 17 and 18 were big. Favorite shots of the day.”
Whitaker finished a shot ahead of Kevin PomArleau of East Wenatchee, Wash., and Joshua Wood of Fallbrook, CA, who set the pace early, posting scores of even-par 72 to qualify as well.
After all the scores were in, and with only four coveted spots remaining, five players were tied at 1-over par 73 and another six were tied at 2-over par 74. The remaining four qualifying spots were determined by a sudden death playoff, starting on the first hole, between Derek Berg of Kenmore, Wash., Luke Bennett of Bellingham, Wash., Andrew Whalen of Ephrata, Wash., Paul Peterson of Salem, OR., and Richard McDonald of Shoreline, Wash. Peterson and McDonald birdied the first hole to lock up two of those spots, leaving Berg, Bennett, and Whalen to fight for the final two spots.
On the second playoff hole, Bennett made birdie to grab another spot and send Berg and Whalen to the third hole to battle for the last spot. The final spot was earned by Berg, who birdied the third hole. Whalen will be the 1st alternate.
The group tied at 74 also entered into a sudden death playoff for the 2nd alternate spot, with Blake Snyder of Seattle, Wash. making birdie to outlast Grant Lancaster of Langley, Wash. and Carson Kallis of Victoria, B.C.
For pairings and results, go to www.thewsga.org.
The Washington State Golf Association (WSGA) is the local representative of the United States Golf Association and conducts this Qualifier for the United States Open Championship.
The WSGA is a 501(c)4 non-profit, amateur golf association governed by men and women volunteer, amateur golfers. The 25-person WSGA Board of Directors employs a full-time staff of 13 individuals. WSGA members pay an annual membership fee, through their golf club, to belong to the Association. The WSGA also serves as a state-wide representative of the United States Golf Association (USGA) and works closely with a number of allied associations within the golf industry for the betterment of the game.
2012 U.S. OPEN LOCAL QUALIFYING
Hosted by: Rope Rider
7,211 yards, Par 72
* – denotes qualifiers
** – denotes alternates (in order)
** – denotes alternates (in order)
*Dan Whitaker, Ellensburg, Wash., 33-38–71
*Joshua Wood, Fallbrook, Calif., 34-38–72
*Kevin PomArleau, E. Wenatchee, Wash., 35-37–72
*Paul Peterson, Salem, Ore., 37-36–73
*Derek Berg, Kenmore, Wash., 37-36–73
*Luke Bennett, Bellingham, Wash., 36-37–73
*Richard McDonald, Shoreline, Wash., 35-38–73
**Andrew Whalen, Ephrata, Wash., 39-34–73
**Blake Snyder, Seattle, Wash., 37-37–74
Brian Thornton, Sumner, Wash., 37-37–74
Pat Howard, Bellevue, Wash., 34-40–74
Grant Lancaster, Langley, Wash., 35-39–74
Carson Kallis, Victoria, BC, 38-36–74
Scott Taylor, Monroe, Wash., 35-39–74
Matthew Steger, North Vancouver, BC, 38-37–75
Liam Kendregan, Kirkland, Wash., 38-37–75
Matthew Marshall, Marana, Ariz., 37-38–75
Matthew Crockett, Yakima, Wash., 38-37–75
Chip Brooke, Bandon, Ore., 36-39–75
Max Carter, Lake Oswego, Ore., 38-37–75
Dominick Francks, Olympia, Wash., 37-38–75
Matt Epstein, Lacey, Wash., 39-37–76
Kevin Ko, Coquitlam, BC, 39-37–76
Sean McMullen, Kent, Wash., 40-36–76
Matthew Daniel, Richmond, BC, 40-36–76
Corey Prugh, Spokane, Wash., 38-38–76
Isaac Weintraub, Victoria, BC, 37-39–76
Tyler Salsbury, Enumclaw, Wash., 38-38–76
Vincent Johnson, Portland, Ore., 37-40–77
Jordan Lu, Vancouver, BC, 37-40–77
James Allenby, Langley, BC, 40-37–77
Keith Crimp, Ellensburg, Wash., 37-40–77
Corey Steger, North Vancouver, BC, 36-41–77
Max Bonk, Kamuela, Hawaii, 39-38–77
Mike Rutledge, Fall City, Wash., 36-41–77
Jack Kelly, North Bend, Wash., 39-39–78
Zach Wanderscheid, Goldendale, Wash., 39-39–78
Jason Humphrey, Coos Bay, Ore., 39-39–78
Rylee Iacolucci, South Cle Elum, Wash., 39-39–78
Brandon Martin, Olympia, Wash., 38-40–78
Tyler Wong, Bellingham, Wash., 38-40–78
Sergej Dronov, Vancouver, BC, 39-39–78
John Shin, Burnaby, BC, 40-39–79
Joel Skarbo, Seattle, Wash., 38-41–79
Broc Johnson, Auburn, Wash., 39-40–79
David Phay, Oak Harbor, Wash., 40-39–79
Charles Mroz, Woodinville, Wash., 40-39–79
Tony Ko, Langley, BC, 40-39–79
Sean Packer, Seattle, Wash., 39-40–79
Ki-Tae Pak, Seattle, Wash., 39-40–79
Nick Ellis, East Wenatchee, Wash., 41-38–79
Ciaran McMonagle, Bandon, Ore., 40-40–80
Aaron Losleben, Snoqualmie, Wash., 39-41–80
James Feutz, University Place, Wash., 37-43–80
Andrew Kennedy, Redmond, Wash., 39-41–80
Kent Hagen, Covington, Wash., 36-44–80
Eli Zackheim, Seattle, Wash., 39-41–80
Josh Taylor, Abbotsford, BC, 39-41–80
Jordan Beals, Enumclaw, Wash., 37-43–80
Sean Fitzpatrick, Mill Creek, Wash., 37-43–80
Tyler Parker, Portland, Ore., 40-40–80
Alec Pakzad, Bellevue, Wash., 38-42–80
Chris Tedesco, Gig Harbor, Wash., 40-40–80
Stephen Lee, Everett, Wash., 39-41–80
Garrett Stephens, Carnation, Wash., 42-39–81
Trey Johnson, Tualatin, Ore., 38-43–81
Shelby Dreher, Victoria, BC, 40-41–81
Bryan Lichimo, North Vancouver, BC, 40-42–82
Dylan Maine, Spokane, Wash., 39-43–82
Jarrett Foote, Woodinville, Wash., 38-44–82
Matt Bunn, Hayden Lake, Idaho, 42-40–82
Travis Johnsen, Wilsonville, Ore., 40-42–82
Zach Foushee, West Linn, Ore., 39-43–82
John McDermott, North Bend, Wash., 40-42–82
Kyle Schrader, Olympia, Wash., 43-39–82
Jason Goldsworthy, Okotoks, AB, 38-45–83
Bradley Harrelson, Snoqualmie, Wash., 43-40–83
Mewail Kidane, Vancouver, BC, 38-45–83
Manuel Orozco, Pasco, Wash., 41-42–83
Keith Henderson, Blaine, Wash., 42-41–83
Matt Fonner, Newcastle, Wash., 40-43–83
Stephen Prugh, Spokane, Wash., 44-40–84
John D’Amelio, Kenmore, Wash., 41-43–84
Andrew Gihm, Seattle, Wash., 41-43–84
Aaron Whalen, Ephrata, Wash., 41-43–84
Scott Miller, Gig Harbor, Wash., 47-38–85
Kurt Woodburn, Bandon, Ore., 44-41–85
Robert Kaindl, Redmond, Wash., 43-42–85
Jason Aichele, Kennewick, Wash., 42-44–86
Keith Coleman, Mukilteo, Wash., 44-42–86
Mike Conyers, Lake Stevens, Wash., 41-45–86
David McSpadden, Ottumwa, Iowa, 38-48–86
Kevin Boie, Beaverton, Ore., 42-44–86
Scott Stevens, Pullman, Wash., 46-40–86
Kyle Leonard Larson, Silverdale, Wash., 40-46–86
Trey Pflug, Portland, Ore., 45-42–87
Adam Ruben, Lake Oswego, Ore., 45-43–88
John Payton, Seattle, Wash., 43-47–90
Victor Lyons, Everett, Wash., 44-46–90
Barry Walters, Selah, Wash., 43-47–90
Colten Kleis, Kirkland, Wash., 42-48–90
Joshua Thompson, Eagle Creek, Ore., 45-45–90
Tye Smith, Rathdrum, Idaho, 45-46–91
Charles Waggoner, University Place, Wash., NS-NS–NS
Joel Evans, West Richland, Wash., WD-WD–WD
Craig Crawford, Stanwood, Wash., WD-WD–WD
Sandy Vaughan, Seattle, Wash., WD-WD–WD
Kevin Klier, Colbert, Wash., WD-WD–WD
Mike Force, Kirkland, Wash., WD-WD–WD
Zach Mayer, Ellensburg, Wash., WD-WD–WD
Brett Webster, Abbotsford, BC, WD-WD—WD