Ted Brown, from Glen Allen, Va., fired a 5-under-par 66 to earn the medal in U.S. Open Local qualifying at Blue Mash Golf Club in Gaithersburg, May 19.
With eight places available for sectional play, Brown was followed by Joshua Persons, Phoenix, Ariz., and Adam Ball, Richmond, Va., at 67. In a 6-for-5 playoff for the remaining spots, Chris Wellde, Ellicott City, Md., birdied the first hole from 20 feet to claim one, but after two more holes (Nos. 2 and 9) nothing else had been determined except that it was too dark to continue. When play resumed the next morning, it took the first hole to end it. Getting in with pars were Ryan Linton, Pinehurst, Nc., Eric Brady, Cary, Nc., Mikey Moyers, Stanardsville, Va., & Tyler Koch, Issue, Md. The alternates are Yong Joo, Maurertown, Va., & Ryan Zylstra, Glen Allen, Va.
Brown, who figured he had tried five or six times to qualify in this area without success, bogeyed the first hole, but had two birdies in going out in 1-under-par 35. Coming back, he had four birdies and finished with 25 putts. The eGolf.com player, 36, also advanced in the Baltimore local last year at Crofton, tying for second at 69.
Persons, 31, who came here off the Web.com Tour, holed a 25-foot putt at the first and added two more birdies on the front. The highlight came at the 500-yard 12th where he hit a 7-iron second shot to two feet, setting up an eagle. He ended 33-34–67. Ball, a Virginia Commonwealth University senior, who turns 21 on June 1, started on 10, birdied 16-17, but gave one back with a three-putt at 18 to get to the turn in 34. His three front-nine birdies included Nos. 8-9 to close strongly and secure his spot. Two years ago, he went to the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur and as a result was exempt at the local level last year.
Brown, Persons, and Ball played in the morning wave, but in the afternoon — until the final hour — the best score was 70. Then, in a late flurry, there were three 68’s and four 69’s, but when it was over, there were seven 68’s behind the top three, sending day-long hopefuls at 69 and 70 into the discard.
When Ryan Zylstra, Glen Allen, Va., failed to appear for the playoff, it left six for five spots: Yong Joo, Maurertown, Va.; Ryan Linton, Pinehurst, N.C.; Eric Brady, Cary, N.C.; Mikey Moyers, Stanardsville, Va.; Tyler Koch, Issue Md., and Wellde. Of this group, only Koch, a Swan Point CC member, is an amateur.
-Reported by John Stewart
