U.S. Open sectional qualifier in Memphis on Monday
The U.S. Open will once again hold sectional qualifying in Memphis Monday. Cue up another chorus of “Sentimental Journey.”
A year ago, the story line was 50year-old Steve Stricker leading the crowd of Memphis hopefuls, and fulfilling his desire to play the Open at Erin Hills in his native Wisconsin.
This time Retief Goosen looks for a homecoming of sorts – though his target is nearly 7,900 miles from his hometown of Pietersburg, South Africa, and 1,175 from his current digs in Florida.
Goosen will be among 117 golfers looking for a spot in next week’s 118th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in Southampton, N.Y. Goosen, 49, won his second Open title the last time it was played there in 2004.
Play in the 36-hole qualifying event begins at 7 a.m. Monday at Ridgeway Country Club, and Colonial CC South.
The event is free to the public, and offers a chance for fans to see several top performers.
Last year, nine players finished a day’s work at Ridgeway and Germantown C.C. with Open bids, led by Stricker’s 11-under-par 132. He would finish the Open tied for 16th place.
Geoff Ogilvy of Australia, the 2006 U.S. Open champion, will tee it up Monday as will two former PGA Championship winners, Memphian Shaun Micheel (2003) and Hall of Famer Davis Love III (1997).
Three past FedEx St. Jude Classic winners, Ben Crane (2014), Harris English (2013) and Dicky Pride (1994) will compete Monday, part of a group of more than 60 FESJC entries who will play this event.
English finished last year’s qualifier tied at 10-under 133, and finished the Open tied for 46th at 3-over. Two other 2017 Memphis qualifiers, former Ole Miss star Jonathan Randolph and Troy Merritt, will be looking for another bid Monday. Randolph tied for 42nd at Erin SUNDAY, JUNE 3, 2018 Hills, while Merritt missed the cut.
Goosen missed the qualifying round cut at 5-under, only the second time in 19 years he missed the Open, which he also won in 2001 at Tulsa’s Southern Hills. In 2013, a back injury sidelined Goosen, who was a Masters runnerup in 2000 and 2007.
There are five past FESJC runnersup in the qualifier – Stricker (2016), Merritt (2014), Scott Stallings (2013) John Merrick (2012) and Robert Garrigus (2010).
Ole Miss’ Braden Thornberry (DeSoto Central) shot 2-under in last year’s qualifier then tied for fourth at the FESJC. The world’s No. 1-ranked amateur will give it another try Monday. So will Grant Hirschman (St. George’s) led Oklahoma to the Big 12 title and shot 64 to lead a first-round qualifier in Texas. Bobby Hudson (MUS) a former Texas star, led the Hot Springs qualifier with a 65. Also in this second round are exOwl teammates Zach Olsen (Oklahoma State) and Hayes Moreland (Cincinnati).
This is the fourth straight year, and fifth overall, that Ridgeway has played host to sectional qualifying. It is the sixth sectional for Colonial, and first since 2014. It is the first time the courses have been paired.