Bigley, Dean show way
They are among five taking next step in path to major
VOORHEESVILLE — Bryan Bigley enjoys returning to his home area for the U.S. Open local qualifier, but he won’t be back to the East Coast again unless it is on Father’s Day weekend.
Bigley, a Rotterdam native who lives near San Francisco, fired a 5-under-par 67 Monday at Albany Country Club to earn medalist honors and claim one of five berths to the final stage of qualifying, to be held June 3 at nine sites throughout the U.S.
While most of the 84-player field chose Canoe Brook in Summit, N.J., for the final stage, Bigley has opted to stay on the West Coast. It is the 10th time he has advanced to what used to be called sectionals, but Bigley, a former Korn Ferry Tour player, has yet to make the U.S. Open.
“I’ve lost track because I can’t get through damn sectionals, to be honest with you,” Bigley said after his six-birdie, one-bogey round. “I’m staying out in California this year. I’m not coming back to Canoe Brook. It’s at Lake Merced. Maybe changing locations will help out.”
Lake Merced is in Daly City, Calif., about 40 minutes from Bigley’s home. The U.S. Open will be played June 13-16 in Pinehurst, N.C.
Four others also advanced, including Kellen Dean, an 18year-old senior at Saratoga Springs High School and last year’s State Junior champion. He was alone in second, three shots behind Bigley.
In just his third attempt at qualifying, Dean overcame a double bogey on the third hole to post five birdies and finish at 2-under 70.
“I always like to dream,” Dean said, “but it’s pretty cool even to move on to the second stage.”
Scott Berliner, an assistant pro at Glens Falls and a 12-time Northeastern New York PGA
Player of the Year, advanced for the seventh time. He shot evenpar 72 to tie Yohann Benson, a 42year-old pro from Pincourt, Quebec, for third.
The final spot was awarded in a seven-man playoff. Connor Lyon of Kingston, Ontario, parred the third extra hole to earn the berth.
Bigley, 39, stayed out of trouble for most of the round. A graduate of Schalmont High and Siena College, Bigley has played numerous rounds at Albany, but none in the past two years, he said.
Although no longer on a major tour, Bigley said he has played tournament golf to stay sharp.
“Mostly playing the Asher Tour in southern California,” he said. “I’m not a member anywhere. I don’t have practice privileges anywhere, so I’m not practicing or doing anything other than hitting balls inside at the place I teach at. I’m trying to stay sharp. As you get older, you learn your game a little better. It always takes a little bit less to get back to shape.”
Dean, the Times Union boys’ golf Athlete of the Year in 202223, didn’t golf for Saratoga Springs this season, opting instead to play center back for the Blue Streaks’ soccer team.
“I’ve always played soccer,” he
said. “It was fun. I still golfed on weekends and played all throughout the winter, as soon as the soccer season was done, at Anders (Mattson Golf Academy in Saratoga). It was a nice little break after a long summer. It was a good choice.”
Berliner, a Lake Luzerne native, stayed north most of the winter, nursing injuries to his groin and left foot. Nonetheless, he was cruising at 4 under par through 14 holes until a bogey at 15 and triple bogey at 16 took him
back to even par, which was still good enough to qualify.
“I had zero expectations,” said Berliner, 49. “On the range this morning I was hitting it all over the place, so I was just trying to figure out a way to, one, walk 18, and then, two, figure out what I had with my foot. I held it together. My foot’s getting better so it’s not something that’s going to be a long-term thing.”
QUALIFIERS
Bryan Bigley, Schenectady .................... 34-33—67 Kellen Dean, Saratoga Springs ............. 35-35—70
Scott Berliner, Queensbury ................... 34-38—72 Yohann Benson, Canada ....................... 37-35—72 Connor Lyon, Canada ............................ 37-36—73
ALTERNATES
Sean Paul Owen, Corning ...................... 36-37—73 Max Theodorakis, Danbury, Conn . ....... 38-35—73
OTHERS
Eric Banks, Canada ................................ 35-38—73 Paul Goetz, Halfmoon ........................... 38-35—73 Sam Cody, Antrim, N.H . ....................... 37-36—73 Andrew Deforest, Saugerties ................ 35-38—73 Dylan Newman, Kings Park ................... 39-35—74 Anthony Cavotta, Saratoga Springs ..... 37-37—74 Louispierre Godin, Canada .................... 35-39—74 Bryan Adkison, Boston .......................... 39-35—74 Dom Lalonde, Canada ........................... 40-35—75 Brayden Dock, Queensbury ................... 37-38—75
Michael Walsh, Shelburne, Vt . ............. 35-40—75 Michael Sporton, Hunter ....................... 37-38—75 Mathew Smith, Hoosick Falls ............... 39-36—75 Brandon Lacasse, Canada ..................... 37-38—75 James Nagle, Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla..38-38—76 Ben Graham, Canada ............................ 33-43—76 Steve Hoffman, Latham ....................... 36-40—76 William Blanchard, Canada ................... 37-39—76 Devlin Walsh, Napanoch ....................... 39-37—76 Jeff Schaller, Kingston .......................... 39-37—76 Jascha Johnston, Stratham, N.H . ........ 37-40—77 Taylor Bellemare, Manchester Center, Vt.38-39—77 Philippe Gariepy, Canada ...................... 40-37—77 James Colin Davis, Canada .................... 41-37—78 Alexandre Belanger, Canada ................. 38-40—78 Jared Nelson, Rutland, Vt ..................... 39-39—78 Justin Grimard, Canada ......................... 41-37—78 Mark Coldham, Canada ......................... 43-35—78 Justin Hearley, Albany ........................... 40-39—79 Louis Sileno, Dix Hills ............................. 41-38—79 Ryan Davis, Delmar ............................... 37-42—79 Brandon Tecler, Colonie ......................... 39-41—80 Jimmy King, Niskayuna ......................... 40-40—80 Jack Shipman, Yonkers ......................... 42-38—80 Benoit Boudreau, Canada ..................... 41-39—80 Matthew Belizze, Dublin, Pa ................. 41-39—80 Geoff Gelderman, Trumbull, Conn . ....... 39-41—80 Derek Pitts, Red Creek .......................... 38-42—80 Todd Carrington, Oneonta ..................... 43-38—81 Malik Dao, Canada ................................ 39-42—81 George Mcglinn, Seattle ........................ 43-38—81 Hunter Duncan, Dunbarton, N.H . ......... 39-42—81 Andrew Daily, Windham ........................ 40-41—81 Aaron Simone, Niskayuna ...................... 41-40—81 Joey Fraser, Canada ............................... 39-42—81 Nicholas Vaillancourt, Canada .............. 40-43—83 Kevin Rossi, Lansdale, Pa . .................... 42-41—83 Donald Crummet III, Bellingham, Mass.42-42—84 Todd Czepiel, Duanesburg ..................... 42-42—84 Ryan Porter, Sunderland, Vt ................. 43-41—84 Jack Downey, New York ......................... 41-43—84 C.J. Strong, Troy .................................... 40-44—84 Jarrod York, Greenfield Center .............. 38-47—85 Sebastien Beaudry, Canada .................. 43-43—86 Ryan Bloomer, Hoosick Falls ................. 43-43—86 Carter Sica, Saratoga Springs ............... 43-43—86 Benjamin Mckenna, Middletown, Conn.40-48—88 Matt Dobosh, Lunenburg, Mass . .......... 42-48—90 Luke Wortman, N.clarendon, Vt . ......... 47-49—96 Tyler Somers, Barnstead, N.H . ............. 46-51—97 Jeremy Wayand, Voorheesville .............. 48-51—99 Jeff Massa, Clifton Park ................................... WD Nicholas Workun, Canada ................................ WD Brian Hussey, Newtown, Conn . ....................... WD Justin Lane, Little River, S.C . ......................... DNF David Carre, Canada ....................................... DNF