U.S. Open Qualifying Yields Mixed Results for Veterans

Final U.S. Open Qualifying was held Monday at 14 sites, including 13 in the U.S. and another in England. On May 26, a qualifier was held in Osaka, Japan, where Artemio Murakami of the Philippines and Craig Parry of Australia earned a spot in next week's Open at Torrey Pines.

Among the notables making it through the grueling 36-hour event Monday were Davis Love III, who managed to overcome fatigue after playing in the Memorial to shoot a 72 at Brookside and then a clutch 5-under 66 in the afternoon at the Scarlett Course in Columbus, Ohio. Love's streak of 70 consecutive majors ended when he failed to qualify for this year's Masters, but the former PGA Championship winner became one of 23 players in the second qualifier to earn a trip to San Diego.

Others making the field include Mark O'Meara, who now competes on the Champions Tour. He qualified in Lake Forest, Ill. Carl Pettersson of Sweden, who now lives in Charlotte, N.C., was the medalist in Columbus after rounds of 64 and 67. Out of that same qualifier were other PGA Tour regulars moving on: Bart Bryant, Ben Crane, Joe Ogilvie, Fredrik Jacobson, Nick Watney, Dean Wilson, Pat Perez, Chad Campbell, Pat Perez, Rocco Mediate and Tom Pernice Jr.

Not making the year's second major championship were Fred Couples, who said earlier this might be the final time he tries to qualify. "Boom-Boom" opened with a 69, but a 72 on Scarlet kept him out of a playoff by two shots. He didn't sign his scorecard and was disqualified. Other non-qualifiers included Ryan Moore, Ken Duke, Charlie Hoffman and Jay Haas, winner of the last two events on the Champions Tour, including the Senior PGA Championship a week ago.

In other qualifiers:

Jason Gore tied with John Ellis at 140 in Daly City, Calif. to gain a spot. Brian Kortan and Jay Choi earned the only two spots in Littleton, Colo. In Surrey, England, Robert Dinwiddie birdied six of his last eight holes, including an 8-footer on the 18th hole at Walton Heath to earn one of seven spots. Nearly 20 players withdrew from this qualifier, so the USGA awarded seven spots to European Tour players instead of 10.

In Tequesta, Fla, Bobby Collins of Palm Beach Gardens earned medalist honors with a 69-69-138, while Philippe Gasnier of Brazine and Joey Lamielle also gained spots. In Roswell, Ga., Jason Bohn of Acworth, Ga., and Matt Kuchar of Atlanta tied for medalist honors with 129, while D.J. Trahan of Mt. Pleasant, S.C. earned the third spot.

Joining O'Meara for the trip to Torrey Pines from the Lake Forest qualifier are Hunter Haas, Chris Kirk, Ian Leggatt of Canada, D.A. Points, and Jonathan Turcott. The two players earning a spot from the Beallsville, Md., qualifier are Canadian David Hearn and Brian Bergstol of Mount Bethel, Pa. Bob Gaus of St. Louis was the only qualifier from the Augusta, Mo., event.

In Purchase, N.Y., Kevin Silva of New Bedford, Mass, was medalist after firing rounds of 70-69. Joining him on the trip to Southern California are Yohann Benson of Canada, Jeffrey Bors of Chardon, Ohio, and Mike Gilore of Locust Valley, N.Y. Emerging out of the Creswell, Ore., qualifier were two players with ties to the University of Washington, current Husky Nick Taylor of Canada and professional Rob Rashell.

Several PGA Tour players earned a spot in the Cordova, Tenn., qualifier, including Brett Quigley, Brandt Jobe, Casey Wittenberg and Mathew Goggan of Australia. Notables who didn't make it included Frank Lickliter, Alex Cejka, Jeff Maggert, Scott McCarron, Marco Dawon, Paul Goydos, Bob Estes, Olin Browne, Brian Gay, JP Hayes and Omar Uresti.

In Richmond, Texas, Rich Beem won the qualifier with a 137 as did Charlie Beljan of Mesa, Ariz. Not qualifying were Steve Elkington and Tom Byrum,

Love was relieved and exhausted after his two rounds Monday. "It's a long week," he said. "That was a long, hard golf course on Monday, much less play 36 holes . . . I know the guys that played four rounds over there (at Muirfield Village in the Memorial) were battle-tested, but they were also tired."