On a day that saw extremely difficult condition at Blue Hills Country Club, where the stroke average was 81.3, four players advanced to sectional qualifying for the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.
The medalist, Zechariah Potter was the only player that managed an even par score, carding a 72. Korbin Kuehn finished second with a 73, and Josh Weems and Curtis Yonke finished tied for third with 74’s.
Potter, Kuehn, Weems and Yonke will now go on to play in a 36 hole qualifier for the rite to play in the 2015 United States Open Championship.
The inaugural U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship in May 2015 will be hosted at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. The first inaugural qualifier was held today at Kansas City Country Club. The course was in championship condition, and the KCGA staff would like to thank Andy Fisher and the members at Kansas City Country Club for the use of their club.
Tyler Shelton and his caddie stare down his birdie putt on the short Par 3, #2. He would go on to make the putt and secure a spot in the Four-Ball Championship.
The qualifier had 45 teams competing for three qualifier spots and two alternates. With some of the best players in Kansas City playing together; the competitive was going to be tough.
After 18-holes of competition six teams finished T1 with a 4 under, 66. The six teams that were left would compete in a playoff for the three qualifying positions.
The team of Chelle/Fiscus would come out on fire on the first hole at KCCC. After an incredible drive and second shot Cole Chelle sank his 5ft birdie putt on the first hole to secure the first qualifier position.
In the second playoff group Jon Troutman had an amazing second shot from the rough to put the ball with 15ft of the hole. He would then proceed to sink his birdie putt to secure the team of Walsworth/Troutman as the second qualifier position.
The third and final spot would have to wait until the second hole. With all of the pressure on him Tyler Shelton hit his tee shot on the short Par 3 to within 3 feet. Then after watching all of the birdie attempts from the competitors fail to find the hole, Tyler sank his birdie putt.
The final qualifier spot would go to the team of Albers/Shelton. After the putt we asked Tyler how he handled the pressure in the playoff, and he replied, “I did not feel that much pressure on the hole. The distance really set up nicely for me so I knew what shot I needed to hit. The competitors’ concentration was really on there on the green but I knew the putt was straight and all I have to do was give it a little push.”
The last two teams left competed on the uphill 9th hole for the first and second alternate position. After a missed birdie attempt from the team of Amundson/Martin, the team of Englander/Healer sunk their short birdie putt to become the first alternate.
Thank you everyone who came out to compete in the first qualifier for the inaugural USGA Four-Ball Championship and good luck to those teams that qualified.
