Posted by Blogger Name. Category:
Danny Lee
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golf
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Michael Campbell
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Pinehurst No.2
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Steven Alker
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Tim Wilkinson
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US Open
Lydia Ko has been getting all the golfing headlines in recent months. But today, there's some good news to report from the men's ranks.
Steven Alker has made it through golf's longest day to qualify for next week's US Open. Sectional qualifiers have been played today at ten locations across the US. A total of 769 golfers had made it through local qualifying, or been exempt to the sectionals. Ahead of them stood 36 holes of sudden-death golf, for the last remaining 56 spots.
Steven Alker was playing in the California sectional, and his odds were even more daunting. Because his tournament wasn't where the PGA Tour was last week or this coming week, there were fewer places up for grabs. Alker was hoping for one of just five places available to the 110 California sectional entrants.
After the first round, it wasn't looking flash. Alker shot a 1-under 70 at the Olympic Club in the morning round to be mid-pack, and well out of contention. But all the golfing planets aligned for the Kiwi journeyman in the afternoon round as he shot the equal low score of the day, and the low score at Lake Merced; a seven-under 65. That left Alker in second place at eight-under for the day, with only Alex Cejka of Germany finishing ahead of him.
After the disappointment of narrowly missing his PGA Tour card for 2014, this will be a great consolation prize for Steven Alker. And let's not forget that the last time the US Open was played at Pinehurst #2, Michael Campbell came through sectional qualifying to make the 156-man field, and become just the second New Zealander to win a major.
Fellow Kiwis Danny Lee and Tim Wilkinson were not so lucky, finishing three and two shots off the number in their respective events. So with Michael Campbell's withdrawl, Alker will be the sole New Zealander in the field.
Pinehurst #2 will provide a searching test for the world's best golfers at the end of next week. We wish Steven Alker every success.
