Rainaud, state golfers hope to make U.S. Open

Adam Rainaud didn’t get a chance to qualify for the Travelers Championship this year, but that’s OK. He has a couple of chances to get into a pair of major championships instead, including the U.S. Open.

Adam Rainaud didn’t get a chance to qualify for the Travelers Championship this year, but that’s OK. He has a couple of chances to get into a pair of major championships instead.

First up is the U.S. Open qualifier on Monday at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, New Jersey. This is the fourth time the Chester resident will be attempting to qualify for the U.S. Open.

“The pressure down the last five or six holes gets very intense. However, I try to thrive on that pressure and it heightens my focus. So far in my career, I play some of my best golf under the most pressure and nervous situations,” Rainaud said.

Later this month, Rainaud will fly out to Sunriver, Oregon, to try to qualify for the PGA Championship. Rainaud will need to be in the top 20 at the PGA Professional National Championship. Rainaud did so once before, but came up a couple of strokes short last year.

Rainaud didn’t attempt to qualify for his third Travelers Championship this month because he is no longer in the Connecticut Section. Once an assistant at the Black Hall Club in Old Lyme, Rainaud now has an assistant’s position at Winged Foot GC in Mamaroneck, New York which has hosted its share of U.S. Opens, the next coming in 2020.

“I am loving working at Winged Foot. The courses and the members are top notch,” Rainaud said.

Rainaud is one of 80 competitors vying for five spots on Monday. Among those from Connecticut also attempting to get through the 36-hole qualifier at Canoe Brook are: former State Open champion Cody Paladino from Kensington, former Hand High standout Brian Carlson, now at Purdue University and paired for all 36 holes with Paladino; Eric Dietrich of Cheshire, Cameron Wilson of Rowayton, Evan DeLuca of Trumbull, Jeffrey Evanier of Clinton, Paul Pastore of Greenwich and Cory Muller of Norwalk.

Kane back in CT

A familiar name played in the Palmer Cup last month. Tim Kane, who grew up in Simsbury, finished in 24th place.

It’s been over a decade since Kane, now 34, was a serious amateur competitor in Connecticut. He played at Simsbury High, leading the Trojans to a pair of Division I high school state championships in 1998 and 2000, then went on to play at the University of Maryland.

Right after graduation, Kane won his first and only State Amateur championship at New Haven CC. He hasn’t played in the event since - but will tee it up in two weeks at Tashua Knolls GC in Trumbull, the first public course to host the event.

“It will be sort of a homecoming for me,” Kane said at the Amateur’s Media Day last Thursday. “It always will be the most important championship to me. Other than winning a USGA event, I don’t see what would ever top winning a state championship in your home state. It’s something all of us here who have won have aspired to do.”

Kane has worked in finance in both New York and outside of Washington, D.C. before the job brought him back to Connecticut. He now lives in Madison with his wife and four children. Ironically, he is a member at New Haven CC - the site of his Amateur title.

“It’s been a long 12-13 years,” Kane said. “I went to business school to start my career, started a family, a lot has happened. I considered it (turning pro) when I got out of school. I basically took six months to decide if I wanted to do it. I decided it wasn’t for me. I don’t have one regret from not turning pro.”

The State Amateur begins June 19.