THE BEGINNING OF qualification for June’s U.S. Open at Chambers Way didn’t quite work out the way Sequim golf professionals Bill Shea and Tyler Sweet hoped.
The pair were among 120 amateur and professional players competing in local qualifying for just seven slots at the next level of the U.S. Open qualification process, the sectional stage.
Sweet, the head pro and general manager at SunLand Golf & Country Club, finished tied for 86th place, shooting a round of 10-over-par 82 at the Home Course in DuPont.
His round included two double-bogeys and a quadruple-bogey on the 432-yard par-4 to wrap his front nine at 10-over.
Sweet rallied nicely to save some pride, playing the 3,647-yard back nine at even par.
Shea fared about the same, finishing tied for 88th after firing a round of 11-over-par 83.
His day started roughly, with three bogies and a quadruple-bogey on the 413-yard par-4 third hole.
After the tough start, Shea did bounce back for two straight birdies, but two double-bogies on par-3 holes on the back nine weighed down his round.
Cheng-Tsung Pan, a senior at the University of Washington, shot a 5-under par 67 and took medalist honors.
The other qualifiers included Cameron Peck, who finished at 3-under par 69.
Peck, grew up in Olympia, and won the 2008 U.S. Junior Amateur and the Washington State Amateur in 2013.
Also qualifying are amateurs Spencer Tibbits of Vancouver; Spencer Weiss, a freshman on the Washington golf team; and Ahren Young, a sophomore at Seattle University.
In a seven-man playoff for the final two available spots, James Lepp of Abbotsford, B.C., birdied the first playoff hole, and Kyle Cornett of Mill Creek birdied the third playoff hole.
Lepp, a professional, was the 2005 NCAA individual champion while playing for the Huskies.
Cornett is a sophomore on the Seattle University golf team.
SunLand tournament
SunLand’s Nancy Harlan checked in with a report on the SunLand Women’s Golf Association.
The sun shone brightly on the first tournament of the year, a three-person scramble chaired by M.J. Anderson.
It was followed by a luncheon and the spring general meeting.
The team of Cheryl Coulter, Jan Prout and Effie Bentley claimed first place with the score of 75.
Placing second was the team of Bobbie Piety, Barbara Evans and Nonie Dunphy after shooting a 78.
There was a four-way tie for third place with a score of 83. The three teams were: Alice Myers, Dorene Berard and Linda Collet; Judy Nordyke, Nancy Harlan and Mary Kubas-Meyer; Ruth Lowe, Cecil Black and Pat Beltz; and Dana Burback, Marsha Carr and Barbara Slagoske.
Captain Cheryl Coulter introduced the 2015 executive board: assistant captain Nonie Dunphy; secretary Dorene Berard; treasurer Ruth Lowe; Judy Flanders, rules; handicap chair Barbara Evans; and past captain Judy Nordyke.
“Other committee and tournament chairs also were introduced and profusely thanked for their contributions of time and talent that are so important to smooth operation of the organization,” Harlan said.
Myers, Lowe and Berard were recognized and thanked for their hard work to put together the association’s yearbook.
“It is a grueling job to get all the information organized, entered into the computer and prepared for printing,” Harlan said.
“They were each given a box of candy for their work.”
In preparation for a Beat the Pro event in July, three names were randomly drawn to play in the foursome with Tyler Sweet. Six more names were drawn as alternates.
Sweet’s playing partners for that event will be finalized just before the event.
All players that day will use their handicap score to compete against Sweet’s gross score.
“This is always a fun event and members look forward to participating,” Harlan said.
In June there will be a mixer with the SunLand Nine Hole Ladies Group, followed by a social session and lunch.
This is a new event, but one that could likely be added to the annual schedule.
Participation was encouraged in the Teams of the Olympic Peninsula team series of monthly events, where teams of eight from a variety of golf clubs on the Peninsula compete against each other for the season.
The season-ending event will be held Oct. 5 at SunLand, where all members, not just participants, are invited to play.
Tournament for Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County
Former Port Angeles resident Dave Gebhardt wanted a way to say thank you for the care his mother Louella Gebhardt received before her death from Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County.
Soon after she passed, Gebhardt organized what has grown into a yearly Mother’s Day weekend tradition, a 30-team four-person scramble golf tournament with proceeds benefitting the Port Angeles-based nonprofit.
The 16th annual Louella Gebhardt Memorial Golf Tournament was held last Saturday at the home of the event since its inception, Grandview Golf Course in Custer, north of Bellingham.
To date, more than $30,000 has been donated to Volunteer Hospice of Clallam County from the tournament.
“I am so proud of Dave for all that he has done in his mother’s memory,” said Dave’s father, Port Angeles resident Gary Gebhardt.
Anniversary deal
Port Ludlow Golf Club is celebrating its 40th anniversary this month with $40 green fees (including cart) available every day this month.
The course also has two demo days on the schedule.
Port Ludlow will host representatives from Ping, Cleveland and Callaway from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday.
Callaway, Titleist and Nike will be on hand for another demo day from noon to 4 p.m. Wednesday, June 3.
The course will offer a free hot coffee and $4 beers to those attending the demo days.
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Golf columnist Michael Carman can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or pdngolf@gmail.com.
