Hot putter helps Harry Hall advance to US Open sectional qualifier
Canyon Gate Country Club conditions were very difficult during a local U.S. Open qualifier on Monday. UNLV junior Harry Hall was the only player in the field of 68 who shot under par and he managed only a 1 under, 69.
“The fairways were tight and the rough was long,” Hall said. “I hit a couple of great wedge shots out of the rough to about five feet today and that was a big key to the round. I putted great and didn’t miss anything outside of 10 feet, really.
“I got a little bit nervous towards the end and my new routines of doing the same thing every time were put to the test. I just backed off (the shot when I had to) and fired away. It was really cool and I had a great day.”
Joining Hall in advancing to sectional qualifying with scores of even par 70 were Web.com Tour player Wyndam Clark, Western High product Joel Kijowski, and Gipper Finau, the brother of PGA Tour star Tony Finau. The 36-hole sectional qualifiers begin June 11 at 12 sites.
The two alternates were former UNLV golfer Taylor Montgomery and Matt Snyder, who shot 71 and secured the alternate status after a five-golfer playoff.
In all, 9,049 golfers are participating in local qualifiers at 112 sites. In 2017, 21 players advanced from local and sectional qualifying to the U.S. Open and only four made the cut. The last U. S. Open champion to advance through local and sectional qualifying was Orville Moody in 1969.
Hall, who is from Hayle, England, will play in the sectional at Walton Heath Golf Club in London on June 4. This is the first time he has attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open and was ecstatic by his low medalist performance. His round included four birdies and three bogeys.
“I am very happy because Wyndham Clark is a great player and he shot level par today so I beat him and that was really nice,” Hall said. “Tony Finau’s brother also shot level par so today proves to me that I’m not far away from where I want to be.
“Being low medalist allows me to play the qualifier at Walton Heath near home so that makes my summer travel plans a lot easier. It’s pretty cool and I had a great day.”
Between now and the sectional, Hall and the Rebels will play in the NCAA Regional on May 14-16 in Columbus, Ohio, and then should they advance, the NCAA Finals on May 25-30 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The 2018 U.S. Open is June 14-17 at Shinnecock Hills in New York.
Among Rebels not advancing were former All-American John Oda, who shot 72, and current players Garrick Higgo and Justin Chong, who each shot 73.
Freelance writer Brian Hurlburt is a two-time author who has covered golf in Las Vegas for more than two decades. He can be reached at bhurlburt5@gmail.com or @LVGolfInsider.