A powerful drive, a precise shot with his 9-iron, and a clutch 8-foot putt earned Brandon Hoelzer a pivotal eagle on the 18th hole. The sequence capped off a solid front nine for Hoelzer, who shared a first-place tie at the U.S. Open local qualifier on Tuesday, May 8, at the Golf Club at Crown Colony.
“It was kind of a nice, cozy start,” he said about his first nine holes. Hoelzer, originally from Fremont, Ohio, but currently playing out of Jacksonville, shared the top spot with Canada’s David Hearn. Both finished with a 5-under par 67. Hoelzer had four birdies to go along with the eagle. Hearn finished with an eagle and three birdies.
While Hoelzer held good command over the course for most of the day, he nearly stumbled on the final hole. He pulled his drive wide to the right on the ninth hole, taking a critical hit to his score. He quickly recovered, delivering a serviceable drive down the fairway, followed by a crucial swing with his 8-iron, which landed him on the green.
From there, he narrowly missed his first putt, forcing a second putt which he tapped in for bogey. For Hoelzer, the course served as a welcome challenge.
“It’s a really fun place to play. If I could play here every day, I’d be happy.”
The top five finishers at the May 8 qualifier advanced to the final qualifying round, which will be held at various sites from May 19 to June 2 for a chance to reach the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club June 12-15. After Hoelzer and Hearn claimed the first two spots, a four-way tie set the stage for a tense playoff for the final three spots.
Jonah Leach of Windermere, Kristian Caparros of Southwest Ranches, Nick Latimer of Cleveland, and Timmy Wideman of Boca Raton each earned a spot in the playoff round by finishing 3-under par. They began by replaying the 18th hole where Leach and Windermere birdied to claim a spot in the finals. Leach credits his play off the tee for his success in Tuesday’s playoff.
“The tee shot matters the most on the 18th hole, which was the playoff hole, and I hit an absolutely beautiful drive,” he said.
Latimer and Wideman hit par during the first playoff, so tournament officials set up a second round in which the pair played the final 3 holes. Once again, it came down to the 18th hole. Latimer sank the winning putt and claimed the last spot in the final qualifier. The playoff pressure didn’t stop him from enjoying a day on the links.
“Any chance I can, to get out and compete, I’m really excited to do it,” Latimer said.
After Wideman’s finish, he will be the first alternate for the final qualifier. Adam Sanquist of Sartell, Minnesota, will be the second alternate.
Read the full article here