Nick Sorkin, from Rockville and Lakewood Country Club, fired a 3-under-par 36-33–69 to lead a field of 137 attempting to qualify for this year’s Amateur and Open Championships of the Maryland State Golf Association at Hobbit’s Glen Golf Club in Columbia.
Sorkin, 24, a graduate of the Bullis School and the University of New Hampshire where he was an outstanding hockey player, turned even, then birdied Nos. 13-14 and the par-5 18th with a chip-in.
This was good for a three-stroke cushion in the Open division and a four-stroke margin in the Amateur group.
The Montreal Canadians of the National Hockey League had Sorkin in training camp in the fall of 2014 and he spent the 2014-15 season with their American Hockey League affiliate in Hamilton, Ont. In the recently concluded 2015-16 season, the 6-foot-3 wing played for Vik Vasteras HK in Sweden’s First Division.
A former qualifier for the MSGA’s Amateur, Sorkin came into this year’s event off a six-birdie binge that helped him and partner Michael Meyer shoot 65 and tie for second in last week’s MSGA Four-Ball Championship.
Manor CC professional Greg Pieczynski followed Sorkin in the Open class with a par-matching 72 that included four birdies, while amateurs Billy Peel, Columbia CC, and Brandon Cigna, Manor CC, were low in that division and also advanced in the Open competition. The Howard County course was played at 6,941 yards.
With 30 Amateur places available, 37 players at 79 or better advanced, and with 22 Open spots, 27 at 77 or better made it.
This was the second of four MSGA Amateur/Open qualifiers. The next one will be May 19 at Andrews Air Force Base, to be followed by Hog Neck GC on May 23.
