Am/Open Qualifier #1
Scott Shapin, in his second year as the head professional at Old South Country Club, was in the next-to-last group to finish, and when he posted his 1-over-par 73, he became the 16th and final Open qualifier, as the Maryland State Golf Association conducted the first of its four Amateur/Open sessions at Holly Hills Country Club in Ijamsville, April 30.
The round by Shapin enabled him to grab a share of the medalist honor with amateurs Matt Bassler and Rob Menefee. In locking up the final spot, Shapin also lopped off four hopefuls at 78.
Among the amateurs, 19 at 80 and better also advanced. The Amateur championship will be held June 7-10 at Baltimore CC, and the Open will be held July 9-11 at Fountain Head CC in Hagerstown.
The weather was sunny, going from cool to mild during the day, but the wind was a definite factor as it increased during the round with gusts of up to 20-25 mph.
Shapin, 34, started on the back, and had two birdies and three bogeys on that side before turning and running off a series of pars until birdieing No. 8 and three-putting No. 9 for 36. The 13-year pro saw service at Columbia CC, a year at a club in Tucson, Ariz., then back to this area at Kenwood CC prior to his first head professional position.
Bassler, 32, from the CC of Maryland, had four bogeys on the front and three birdies on the back for his tour, while Menefee, 48, who plays out of Swan Point Y&CC, began on No. 10, put up an early bogey, meshed with his putter for birds from 20 feet and 15 feet at Nos. 13-14, respectively, then offset a drive out of bounds with a 30-foot putt to save bogey at 15 on his way to a par-36 for the nine. He added a birdie and two bogeys for a second nine of 37. Amateur Chris Rockwell, from Green Spring VHC (37-37); and pros Daniel Bengtson, Cattail Creek CC (36-38) and Mark Evenson, Suburban Club (37-37) all played in the morning and posted 74’s. Rockwell had two birdies and Bengtson and Evenson, one each. Billy Hoffman, a professional from Westwood CC, and another morning player, was alone at 75.
At the other end of the spectrum, from a field of 94, only a third broke 80, and 15 did not break 90.
