Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2015 - 39

Meyer Takes Medalist Honors
at US Open Local Qualifying
G
opher Grady Meyer overcame a slow start under cold and misty conditions
to card a 3-under-par 69 and earn medalist honors May 11 at the
U.S. Open Local Qualifying at Edina Country Club. He bogeyed the opening
hole before rolling in five consecutive pars. Another bogey at the par-3 seventh
put Meyer at 2-over on the day, but he would answer on the following hole by
taking advantage of the par-5 eighth, making an eagle to draw even. He cruised
on the final nine holes, shooting 69 and claiming the low round of the day.
" I really stayed patient out there. I knew I had two downhill par 5s and I
wanted to take advantage of those, " Meyer said after his round. " If I did miss
greens I was up and down, so it was solid all the way around. "
Former Gopher Donald Constable, Wisconsin professional Brent Snyder and
Michigan professional Jay Jurecic all qualified after carding 2-under-par 70,
while Trent Peterson-the 2014 Minnesota State Open Champion-secured
the final spot after five playoff holes to edge out Sam Foust.
Grady Meyer
U.S. OPEN
LOCAL
QUALIFYING
May 11, Edina Country Club
(a) Meyer, Grady
Snyder, Brent
Jurecic, Jay
35-34-69
34-36-70
32-38-70
Constable, Donald 34-36-70
(a) Peterson, Trent 35-36-71
(a) Foust, Samuel
McCormick, Tim
33-38-71
36-36-72
Medalist
Qualifier
Qualifier
Qualifier
Qualifier
1st Alternate
2nd Alternate
Bell Finishes 3-Under-Par
at US Open Local
Qualifying
I
t was former Gopher Robert Bell's turn to earn medalist honors
with a 3-under-par 69 during the U.S. Open Local Qualifying
at The Links at Northfork on May 21. Bell, 25, of Pierz, got
off to a quick start with birdies at the first and third holes before
giving back a stroke with a bogey at the fourth. He rolled in another
pair of birdies at the fifth and seventh before a four
putt led to a double bogey on the ninth to turn
at 1-under.
He quickly rebounded by rolling in
Robert Bell
back-to-back birdies on the start of the
back nine to move to 3-under once again,
and after his seventh birdie of the round
on the par-4 14, Bell was cruising at 4-under.
He failed to get his par putt to drop
on the final hole, but was one of only
two players to post a red number in
the field of 78 golfers.
" It was a really good day out
there and I was putting the ball
well. It was windy and required
a lot of good shots.
I thought it was a really
tough golf course today
and I was able to conU.S.
OPEN LOCAL
QUALIFYING
May 21, The Links at Northfork
Robert Bell
Eric Rolland
(a) Evan Degrazia
Ryan Helminen
Julian Ramirez
(a) Ben Skogen
35-34-69
34-37-71
39-33-72
33-39-72
36-36-72
36-37-73
Medalist
Qualifier
Qualifier
Qualifier
1st Alternate
2nd Alternate
trol my ball flight and make a few putts, " Bell said.
Eric Rolland's 1-under-par 71 was good enough to send him to
the next round of qualifying, as he took full advantage of having
some prior knowledge of the course.
" Today there was a northwest wind, which changes this golf
course significantly from the way people are accustomed to playing
it, so I knew the shots I needed to make, " said Rolland, who
lives nearby in Rogers.
Rolland put together a solid front nine, rolling in a birdie
on the opening hole and chipping in for a birdie at the third to
quickly get to 2-under. He began the back with another birdie
for 3-under before dropping a shot on the 12th with a bogey. A
double bogey at the 15th put Rolland back at even for the afternoon,
but he bounced back with a birdie at the par-4 16th hole
to finish at 1-under.
After carding rounds of even par 72, Ryan Helminen of Menasha,
Wis., and Evan Degrazia of Thunder Bay, Ontario, grabbed
the final two qualifying spots following a one-hole playoff, while
Julian Ramirez and Ben Skogen finished as first and second alternates,
respectively.
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Minnesota Golfer - Summer 2015

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