Sean English, a Caves Valley Golf Club professional, fired a 3-under-par 33-34–67 at The Suburban Club to top the leader board in the first of three qualifying events for the Maryland State Golf Association’s 93rd Amateur and Open Championships, May 5.
From a field of 129 starters, Scott Shapin, an assistant professional at Kenwood Country Club, was the only other player able to return a score of par-70 or better, as he shot 34-35–69 over the 6,542-yard suburban Baltimore course.
With 28 places (and ties) available for the Amateur, the cut fell at 77 with 29 players. With 22 places (and ties) available for the Open, the cut came at 76 with 26 players.
The remaining qualifiers will be May 6, at Worthington Manor GC in Urbana, and May 21 at Andrews Air Force Base just outside Washington’s Capital Beltway. A field of approximately 125 players — exempt and qualifiers — will advance to on-site qualifying for the Amateur, June 5, at Baltimore Country Club. The Open will be held July 14-16 at Lakewood Country Club in Rockville.
English and Shapin played the back nine first, with English posting a 1-under 34 with an eagle-3 at the par-5 494-yard 12th hole and a bogey at the 17th. Shapin followed with a par-35. On the front, English had an early bogey, then put up three birds, including the eighth and ninth for his 33. Not to be outdone, Shapin followed a bogey at the seventh with birdies at 8-9 for his 34.
Amateurs Jimmy Grem. from Hunt Valley GC, and Kyle Gebhart, Ocean City GC, were joined by professional Jared Goslee, The Bay Club, at 71, while amateurs Patrick McCormick, Baltimore CC, and Connor Flach, Turf Valley CC, were joined by professional Brendan Kelly, U.S. Naval Academy GC, at 72.
Grem birdied his final hole, the ninth, to finish with three birdies and four bogeys. Goslee got off to a rough start with three successive bogeys, before getting on track with a bird at the fourth, and went on to have 13 pars. John Howson, Pine Ridge GC, was even more consistent with 14 pars (each had eight on the back nine) for 74. McCormick had five birdies and Bennett Wisner, Piney Branch GC, four. Ryan Tighe, University of Maryland, in the second group of the morning, failed to qualify with a 78, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. He had a triple and three doubles in soaring 10-over on the front, then included four birdies on the back.
Will Lynn, from Carroll Park GC in Baltimore eagled the 554-yard ninth hole when he hit a 4-iron second shot to a tight back pin and holed a 16-foot putt.
-Reported by John Stewart from The Suburban Club