Three Washington area players were among the four who advanced from sectional qualifying to the U.S. Senior Amateur championship at Fountain Head Country Club in Hagerstown, August 19. The event, conducted by the Maryland State Golf Association, drew 54 entries.
Mark Rallas, from Leesburg, Va., and Raspberry Falls G&CC, led the way with a 4-under-par 32-34–66, followed by Mike McCarthy, Bethesda and Argyle CC, 36-35-71. Ben Brundred, from Potomac and Congressional CC, and Scott Mayne, Hershey (Pa.) CC survived a five-for-two playoff at 73 that also included Marty West, Rockville and Columbia CC, who took first alternate. Bill Engel, Army Navy CC, claimed second alternate and Philip Goldberg, Springfield (Va.) G&CC went out at the first playoff hole (No. 10). For Mayne, 55, it means a successful bid on his first attempt.
The tight and demanding tree-lined course was played at 6,277 yards and a par of 35-35–70. The fifth hole, normally a par-5, was reduced in length to 435 yards and played as a par-4.
Rallas, 57, had five birdies, one bogey, and called three of the birds, “really strong”. Two of them were big sweeping curlers he was just trying to get close and the ball fell in the cup. For the round, “I was just trying to keep the ball in play and managed to hit a lot of fairways and reached 15 greens in regulation. “Before the round, I had switched to an old center-shafted putter I had and then the greens were so smooth, I was afraid to hit the putts, but I don’t think I missed one [from a reasonable distance.]
This marked the third successive qualifier for Rallas since becoming eligible two years ago. He qualified at Fountain Head with 40-32–72 in 2012, then missed last year with a 77 at Worthington Manor GC. He admitted that he hasn’t played too much recently, but still tries to find time to practice practically every day at Raspberry Falls.
Given a past history of needing 71 or 72, at the most, to qualify, several of the playoff players declared they thought they had no chance after returning their scores. “I hit it out of bounds on 13 and went from +1 to +3. I didn’t have a birdie until the 18th (a 15-foot putt from below the hole that went straight in the hole and I thought it was meaningless.” Ditto West, who also birdied the 18th to climb into the tie.
The championship will be played September 13-18 at Newport Beach, California
-Reported by John Stewart from Fountain Head CC