2018 U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifying Roundup

August 10, 2018 | by Chris Brauner of AmateurGolf.com

Qualifying is complete at 50 sites around the U.S.; see who has made it to Eugene CC for the 64th U.S. Senior Championship

VARIOUS SITES IN THE US (July/August 2018) - Qualifying for the U.S. Senior Amateur is complete at 50 qualifying sites across the United States.

The USGA accepted 2,381 entries for the 64th U.S. Senior Amateur Championship, scheduled for August 25-30, 2018 at Eugene (ore.) Country Club.

Players exempt from qualifying include the defending champion Sean Knapp, who won last year's championship at The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis, MN.

Exempt Players

Stewart "Buddy" Alexander (1986 U.S. Amateur champion)
Tom Brandes (2015 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up)
Kevin Cahill (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist)
Gene Elliott (2017 Canadian Amateur champion)
Vinny Giles (2009 U.S. Senior Amateur champion)
Doug Hanzel (2013 U.S. Senior Amateur champion)
Tim Jackson (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist)
Sean Knapp (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur champion)
Ken Lee (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist)
Chip Lutz (2015 U.S. Senior Amateur champion)
George "Buddy" Marucci (2008 U.S. Senior Amateur champion)
Michael McCoy (2015 USA Walker Cup competitor)
David Nocar (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist)
John Pierce (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist)
Dave Ryan (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist)
Paul Simson (2010 and 2012 U.S. Senior Amateur champion; 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up)
Matthew Sughrue (2016 U.S. Senior Amateur runner-up; 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur quarterfinalist)
Patrick Tallent (2014 U.S. Senior Amateur champion)
Frank Vana (2017 U.S. Senior Amateur semifinalist)
Guy Yamamoto (1994 U.S. Amateur Public Links champion)
Robert Funk (Completed 72 holes in 2018 U.S. Senior Open)
Jeff Wilson (Completed 72 holes in 2018 U.S. Senior Open)

Highlights from qualfiying include:

July 16

Mike Booker

Reigning (and four-time) Carlton Woods Senior champion Mike Booker (Houston, TX) traveled out to Newport Beach, CA and shot 71 to earn medalist honors at Big Canyon Country Club. Four players shot 72 to take the other qualifying spots and punched their tickets to Eugene CC.

Qualifiers: Mike Booker (Houston, TX) 71, Mark Caplow (Los Angeles, CA) 72, Jim Plotkin (Carlsbad, CA) 72, Michael Rowley (San Luis Obispo, CA) 72, Rick Talt (Laguna Beach, CA) 72

July 19

Claud Cooper

Claud Cooper (Birmingham, AL), who last year made the final 32 in the Senior Amateur and also qualified for the U.S. Senior Open, shot a 69 at Willow Point G&CC in Alexander City, AL to share medalist honors.

Qualifiers: Claud Cooper (Birmingham, AL) 69, Richard Jeffers (Mobile, AL) 69, Wright Waddell (Columbus, GA) 69

July 23

Falcon Crest GC in Kuna, ID
Qualifier: Craig Hurlbert (Rollins, MT) 70

The Patriot Golf Club in Owasso, OK
Qualifier: Andrew Lucas (Tulsa, OK) 73

Greg Condon

Greg Condon (Monte Vista, CO), a Senior Am match play qualifier last year and a U.S. Senior Open participant in 2016, won the Sandia Park, NM qualifier by 6 shots, shooting a 69 at Paa-Ko Ridge GC.

Qualifier: Greg Condon (Monte Vista, CO) 69

Former PGA Tour player and reinstated amateur Brian Tennyson (Fernandina Beach, FL) shot 69 at The Amelia Island Club in Amelia Island, FL to share medalist honors with 2016 U.S. Senior Open participant John Lobb (Magnolia, KY).

Qualifiers: John Lobb (Magnolia, KY) 69, Brian Tennyson (Fernandina Beach, FL) 69

July 24


Mark Coward	Chris Hartenstein

Two players who made the final 32 in last year's championship advanced out of the Wickenburg, AZ qualifying site. Mark Coward (Paradise Valley, AZ) shot a 70 at Wickenburg Ranch G&CC to share medalist honors, while Chris Hartenstein (Austin, TX) shot 71 to advance.

Qualifiers: Mark Coward (Paradise Valley, AZ) 70, John Hull (Sheridan, WY) 70, Chris Hartenstein (Austin, TX) 71, Dirk Maust (Phoenix, AZ) 72

Omni Interlocken GC in Broomfield, CO
Qualifiers: Don Eklund (San Diego, CA) 69, Scott Sullivan (Grand Junction, CO) 71, Guy Mertz (Longmont, CO) 72

July 25

Ned Zachar

Ned Zachar (Bedford, NY), who made the final 32 in last year's championship and qualified for the U.S. Senior Open earlier this summer, shot a 72 to share medalist honors at Fairview Farm GC in Harwinton, CT. Dennis Lynch (Smithtown, NY) won a four-way playoff for the final qualifying spot, a playoff that included former 8-time major tennis champion Ivan Lendl.

Qualifiers: Ned Zachar (Bedford, NY) 72, Jim Hamburger (Clinton Corners, NY) 72, Dennis Lynch (Smithtown, NY) 74

Jerry Rose

2015 Golfweek Senior Amateur champion Jerry Rose was the co-medalist at Mendakota CC in Mendota Heights, MN, shooting a 73. Kevin Culligan won a five-way playoff for the final qualifying spot after a round of 74.

Qualifiers: Jerry Rose (Sarasota, FL), 72, John Anderson (Andover, MN) 73, Kevin Culligan (Mendota Heights, MN) 74

Kenwood Country Club in Cincinnati, OH
Qualifiers: Ron Eubel (Dayton, OH) 70, Mitch Wilson (Kalamazoo, MI) 71

July 26


Russ Perry	Walter Todd

Russ Perry (Winston-Salem, NC), who made the final 16 in last year's championship, was the medalist at High Point (N.C.) Country Club with a round of 69. John Rudolph (Charlotte, NC) shot a 70, while 2015 Dave King Senior champion Gary Robinson (Fayetteville, NC) advanced with a 71. Lowcountry Senior champion and last year's Jones Cup Senior champion Walter Todd (Laurens, SC) also qualified with a 71.

Qualifiers: Russ Perry (Winston-Salem, NC) 69, John Rudolph (Charlotte, NC) 70, Gary Robinson (Fayetteville, NC) 71, Walter Todd (Laurens, SC) 71

Buckhorn Springs G&CC in Valrico, FL
Qualifiers: Bart Dornier (Metairie, LA) 72, Bob Levy (Windermere, FL) 72, Richard Kerper (Oldsmar, FL) 73

The Elkridge Club in Baltimore, MD received 15 inches of rain in the week before the qualifier, washing out the bunkers twice and forcing the maintenance crew to work overtime to get the course playable. Tom Winegardner (Lothian, MD) birdied the final two holes for a 1-under 70 to medal by one shot. Lee Flemister (Rockville, MD) and Buddy Patch (Fairfax Station, VA) made it through a 3-for-2 playoff, going par-par over two extra holes to advance.

Qualifiers: Tom Winegardner (Lothian, MD) 70, Mike McCarthy (Bethesda, MD) 71, Lee Flemister (Rockville, MD) 72, Buddy Patch (Fairfax Station, VA) 72

July 27

James Volpenhein

Seven-time Cincinnati Metropolitan Amateur champion James Volpenhein (Union, KY) took the only spot available at Persimmon Ridge GC in Louisville, KY, recording a 1-over 73 and clearing the field by three shots. Volpenhein's back nine was remarkable; he started it with four straight bogeys, parred the 14th, and birdies the last four holes.

Qualifier: James Volpenhein (Union, KY) 73

July 30

Mark Du Pont

Mark Du Pont shot an even-par 72 at Turlock Golf & Country Club in Turlock, CA to medal by one shot over four players, who had to go to a playoff to determine the other two qualifying spots. Bryan Lynn and Jeff Burda (a former Golfweek Senior, Trans-Mississippi Senior, and Senior Masters champion) emerged from the playoff to advance to the championship.

Qualifiers: Mark DuPont (Tustin, CA) 72, Bryan Lynn (Bakersfield, CA) 73, Jeff Burda (Modesto, CA) 73

54-year-old David Blichar (Allentown, PA) is eligible for the U.S. Senior because he turns 55 before the start of the championship. At Tavistock Country Club in Haddonfield, NJ, Blichar shot a 1-under 71 to earn medalist honors. Edward Armagost (Jupiter, FL), a caddy at Pine Valley and Seminole, shot 72 to advance to the championship.

“I haven’t done anything in 12 years. It’s fun to get the juices going, so to speak,” Armagost told the Golf Association of Philadelpha. “I worked three years on the PGA TOUR for a buddy of mine (Mark Calcavecchia). He said, ‘You’re going to hate golf,’ and I did. Then I was working at Seminole (Golf Club) down in Jupiter and I just stopped playing.”

Also advancing was Jimmy Dunne (New York, NY), whose story was featured during U.S. Open week on the Golf Channel.

Qualifiers: David Blichar (Allentown, PA) 71, Edward Armagost (Jupiter, FL) 72, James Dunne (New York, NY) 73, David West (Exton, PA) 73.

Pine Forest GC in Houston, TX
Qualifiers: Hunter Nelson (Houston, TX) 71, Thomas Immenschuh (San Antonio, TX) 73, Samuel Pierce (Houston, TX) 74, Kent Samuel (The Woodlands, TX) 74

Joe Palmer

Joe Palmer (W. Des Moines, IA), who recently won his third Iowa Senior Match Play, took the only spot available at Sunnyside CC in Waterloo, IA. Palmer shot a 1-under 71 an then won a playoff with a par on the first hole.

Qualifier: Joe Palmer (W. Des Moines, IA) 71

CC of Sioux Falls in Sioux Falls, SD
Qualifier: Kent Spriggs (Fargo, ND) 74

Jim McNelis (Gig Harbor, WA) shot a 1-under 71 at Tacoma (Wash.) Country & Golf Club to medal by two shots, but the battle was for the fourth and final spot. Five golfers played off for the spot, with Jerry Close (Moses Lake, WA) ultimately prevailing.

Congratulations to medalist 🏅 Jim McNelis (Gig Harbor), Brad Douglas (Redmond), Keith Norris (Redmond), and Jerry Close (Moses Lake) on qualifying for the #USSeniorAm after today's @USGA Qualifier at Tacoma C&GC. https://t.co/JQgAfAPLbd
— Washington State Golf Association (WSGA) (@theWSGA) July 31, 2018

The Club at Chatham Hills in Westfield, IN
Qualifiers: John Fisher (Collierville, TN) 73, Mike Cline (Carmel, IN) 75

Logan Country Club in Logan, UT
Qualifiers: Steven Borget (Heber City, UT) 68, John Schaller (Scottsdale, AZ) 71


Pat O'Donnell	Scott Hval

Five spots were available at the host site of the 64th U.S. Senior Championship, Eugene Country Club in Eugene, OR. Five-time Oregon Senior champion and 2013 U.S. Senior runner-up, Pat O'Donnell, shot a 71 to share medalist honors. Scott Hval, himself a three-time Oregon Senior champ, also qualified with a 73. Johnny Coppedge improbably won a seven-man playoff for the final spot after the seven players all shot 75.

Qualifiers: Pat O'Donnell (Happy Valley, OR) 71, Larry Watts (Springfield, OR) 71, Bradley Karns (Vancouver, WA) 73, Scott Hval (Portland, OR) 73, Johnny Coppedge (Canby, OR) 75.


James Camaione	Craig Davis

Three-time (2012, 2013, 2018) U.S. Senior Open participant James Camaione shot a 2-under 70 at South Hills Country Club in West Covina, CA to share medalist honors. Craig Davis, winner of the last two Southern California Senior championships, won a 3-way playoff for the final qualifying spot.

Qualifiers: James Camaione (Upland, CA) 70, Mark Nickeas (Westlake Village, CA) 70, John Pate (Santa Barbara, CA) 71, Patrick Carrigan (Walnut, CA) 71, Craig Davis (Chula Vista, CA) 72

Pearl Country Club in Aiea, HI
Qualifier: Clive Kegel (Lahaina, HI) 73

July 31


William Hadden	John Lombardozzi

At Manchester Country Club in Manchester, VT, four players shot 73 and had to play off for the two available spots. 1989 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up and Connecticut Golf Hall of Famer William Hadden and John Lombardozzi got through the playoff and are off to Eugene for the championship.

Qualifiers: William Hadden (Manchester, VT) 73, John Lombardozzi (Herndon, VA) 73

Dennis Smith

Dennis Smith (Lafayette, LA) blitzed the field at Le Triomphe Golf & Country Club in Broussard, LA, shooting a 6-under 66 to cleat the field by six shots. Smith made five birdies and an eagle on the day.

Qualifier: Dennis Smith (Lafayette, LA) 66

August 1

Allendale Country Club in North Dartmouth, MA
Qualifiers: Kevin Carey (Hyannis, MA) 70, Joseph Walker II (Dennis, MA) 73, John McNeill (Stow, MA) 73, Stephen Camara (Boxford, MA) 74

Bill Barnes

The Chicago District Golf Association interrupted their Senior Championship to allow players to participate in the U.S. Senior Amateur qualifier at Olympia Fields (Ill.) Country Club. Bill Barnes (Bonita Springs, FL) and Thomas Destefani (Western Springs, IL) led a group of five successful qualifiers, each shooting even-par 72 on the South Course at OFCC. There was a 4-for-3 playoff to determine the final three spots after four players shot 73.

Qualifiers: Bill Barnes (Bonita Springs, FL) 72, Thomas Destefani (Western Springs, IL) 72, Philip Saville (Chicago, IL) 73, Steven Jacobs (Highland Park, IL) 73, Donald Langland (Cary, IL) 73

Montour Heights Country Club in Coraopolis, PA
Qualifier: Michael Courtad (Morgan, PA) 76

John Turk

Former United States Air Force fighter pilot John Turk, the 2016 Southern Nevada Golf Association senior player of the year, shot a 73 at Reflection Bay GC in Las Vegas to take the only qualifying spot by one shot.

Qualifier: John R. Turk (Las Vegas, NV) 73

Weston Hills Country Club in Weston, FL
Qualifiers: William Hardaker (Atlantic Beach, FL) 71, Jeff Kaufman (Tampa, FL) 71


Jeff New	John Grace

Former Texas resident Jeff New (Scottsdale, AZ) shot a 1-under 70 at Squaw Creek GC in Willow Park, TX to medal by one shot over Texas Golf Hall of Famer John Grace (Fort Worth, TX). The final two qualifiers were decided by a 7-for-2 playoff after seven players shot 73.

Qualifiers: Jeff New (Scottsdale, AZ) 70, John Grace (Fort Worth, TX) 71, Chuck Palmer (Dallas, TX) 72, Jim Quinn (Dallas, TX) 73, Steven Johnson 73

August 2

The Grove in College Grove, TN
Qualifiers: Mike Albonetti (Memphis, TN) 72, Buzz Fly (Memphis, TN) 72, Jeff Walker (Springfield, TN) 73

Crestview Country Club in Wichita, KS
Qualifiers: Tracy Chamberlin (Wichita, KS) 71, Tom Nielsen (Edmond, OK) 72

Jeff Harper

At The Pines Country Club in Morgantown, WV, former West Virginia Senior Amateur champion Jeff Harper (Coolville, WV) shot a 2-under 69 to take the only qualifying spot.

Qualifier: Jeff Harper (Coolville, WV) 69

Midvale Country Club in Rochester, NY
Qualifier: John Bufalini (Watertown, NY) 73

At Oberlin GC in Oberlin, OH, Albert Baumann (Fremont, OH) shot a 4-under 68 to medal by four shots. A four-way playoff was held to determine the final two qualifying spots, with Tom Jereb (Concord, OH) clinching his spot on the second extra hole, and former #1-ranked senior Paul Schlachter (Bridgeville, PA) getting his on third extra hole.

Qualifiers: Albert Baumann (Fremont, OH) 68, Tom Jereb (Concord, OH) 72, Paul Schlachter (Bridgeville, PA) 72

August 3

Rand Mendez

Rand Mendez (Wolmington, DE), who last week captured his first big national senior title at the SOS Jack Hesler Tournament, continued his fine play at Ford's Colony Country Club in Williamsburg, VA, taking the only qualifying spot with a 2-under 70. Mendez turned at +1 but made three birdies in a row in the middle of his back nine to medal by one shot.

Qualifier: Rand Mendez (Wilmington, DE) 70

August 6

Bob Royak

Coming off of a top-10 finish in last week's British Senior Amateur, Bob Royak made an eagle and five birdies in a round of 5-under 66 that earned him medalist honors at Laurel Springs Golf Club in Suwanee, GA. U.S. Senior Open qualifier Jack Larkin also qualified with a 68.

Qualifiers: Bob Royak (Alpharetta, GA) 66, Steve Golliher (Knoxville, TN) 67, Louis Brown (Marietta, GA) 67, Jack Larkin (Atlanta, GA) 68

Ballwin Golf Club in St. Louis, MO
Qualifiers: Tim Barry (Parkville, MO) 71, Joseph Malench (Edwardsville, IL) 73

Redhawk Golf and Resort in Sparks, NV
Qualifier: Lloyd Fisher (Dade City, FL) 69

August 7

Jay Blumenfeld

Two-time New Jersey Senior champion Jay Blumenfeld (Parsippany, NJ) was among the five players advancing from Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township, NJ. The 66-year-old former Society of Seniors Championship winner shot an even-par 71 in a qualifier that saw Ronald Vannelli (Edison, NJ) medal with a 69 and Paul Manore (Bedminster, NJ) win a three-way playoff for the final spot.

Qualifiers: Ronald Vannelli (Edison, NJ) 69, Roland Morris, Jr. (Greenwich, CT) 70, Jay Sessa (Garden City, NY) 70, Jay Blumenfeld (Parsippany, NJ) 71, Paul Manore (Bedminster, NJ) 72

Bill Zylstra

Another 66-year-old, Michigan Hall-of-Famer Bill Zylstra, who recently won the GAM Senior Match Play Championship for the third time, shot a 70 to share medalist honors at Great Oaks Country Club in Rochester, MI.

Qualifiers: Bill Zylstra (Dearborn Heights, MI) 70, Kerry Buettner (Grandville, MI) 70, Todd Hoag (Grand Rapids, MI) 71

August 8

Bill Byrne (Natchez, MS) parred the first playoff hole to take the only qualifying spot after shooting 73 at the Country Club of Oxford (Miss.).

Qualifier: Bill Byrne (Natchez, MS) 73

August 9

Danny Nelson

In Bluffton, SC, five-time Savannah City Amateur champion Danny Nelson shot a 4-under 68 on the Nicklaus Course at the Colleton River Club to medal by three shots. Chris Culler took the last of the four spots in a three-way playoff after shooting 74.

Qualifiers: Danny Nelson (Savannah, GA) 68, John Skeadas (Savannah, GA) 71, Tom Case (Fort Myers, FL) 72, Chris Culler (Camden, SC) 74

In a qualifier that began on Wednesday and had to be finished Thursday because of weather delays, Tom Madden (Memphis, TN) shot a 71 at Pleasant Valley Country Club in Little Rock, AR to take the only available qualifying spot.

“I’d keep playing, I don’t think the heavy stuff is going to come down for quite a while!” @JudgeSmailsGolf @USGA Mid Am/Senior Am Qualifying at Pleasant Valley...@ASGAgolf @carymaddox @ccollinspga @sullivangolf @regolfgirljane @RandalPReed1 pic.twitter.com/j034ducTgJ
— Jay Fox (@JFoxtales) August 8, 2018

Meadowbrook Country Club in Racine, WI
Qualifiers: Terry Werner (Dyer, IN) 70, Robert Gregorski (Appleton, WI) 71, Jay Dempsey (Glencoe, IL) 72

August 10

David Oas traveled from Carlsbad, CA to Omaha, NE and took the only qualifying spot (and, as this was the last qualifer of the season, the last qualifying spot into the tournament), shooting an even-par 71 at the Happy Hollow Club to medal by three shots.

David Oas of Carlsbad, California earned a trip to the 2018 #ussenioram at Eugene Country Club in Oregon today. Oas put together a round of 71 (E). We talked to him about his round and what’s ahead! pic.twitter.com/KEXONSIJlI
— #NebGolf (@NGAgolf) August 10, 2018

Qualifier: David Oas (Carlsbad, CA) 71

What's Next

The field of 156 players will play 36 holes of stroke play qualifying at Eugene Country Club in Eugene, OR on Saturday and Sunday, August 25-26, 2018. The low 64 players will then advance to single-elimination match play until the champion is decided on Thursday morning, August 30.

About the U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifying

2018 U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifying Roundup

The U.S. Senior Amateur Qualifier is open to all competitors with an index of 5.4 or lower who will be at least 55 years of age at the start of the championship. The format is 18 holes of stroke play, with qualifying sites scattered across the countr...

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