U.S. Open Qualifier Too Tough For Rose, Fowler and Romo

Columbus, OH, United States (AHN) – The beauty of the U.S. Open is that it is everyman’s tournament. Any amateur or professional with a USGA handicap index of 1.4 or less can give it a go.

It starts out with local qualifying and ends up with the sectionals, that were held around the country on Monday.

It’s always surprising at the sectional qualifiers. More than 700 golfers tried to gain just 60 spots. And big names were among the non-qualifier casualties. Memorial winner Justin Rose, runnerup Rickie Fowler and Rocco Mediate, who dueled down the stretch with Tiger Woods at Torrey PInes, all failed to gain entry into the Pebble Beach field for next week’s championship.

The Woodlands site gained national attention when Dallas Cowboy quarterback Tony Romo teed it up seeking one of the only two spots available.

Romo created a lot of excitement Monday morning when he overcame some weather stoppages and shot a one-under par 71 and was in contention for a spot. It came to an end for him in the afternoon. He was eight-over par after only eight holes when a storm forced the second 18 to a Tuesday finish.

At that point, to show up to finish the second round was a conflict of interest for Romo. Dallas had OTA workouts on Tuesday and Romo is committed to his craft. “I would have waited it out, sure, if I didn’t have to be back for practice,” Romo said. And that should come as good news to Cowboy fans.

Back in Columbus, 68-72 wasn’t good enough for Rose to qualify. Neither was the 70-73 effort of Fowler. Mediate shot 67-70, lost in a playoff for the 15th spot and will be an alternate for the big show in Pebble Beach.

Medaling in Columbus was Eric Axley, who shot rounds of 64-63, 17-under par and an astonishing seven shots ahead of the next lowest scores, 10-under.

Former major champions Tom Lehman, Davis Love III and Ben Curtis were in the top 15 in the Columbus sectional and punched their tickets to Pebble.

In Memphis, former PGA champion Shaun Micheel got into the Open field. Jordan Spieth, the schoolboy hero of the Byron Nelson, did not. Spieth had a very respectable showing Monday with rounds of 68-72 but missed a playoff for the last spot in Memphis by four shots.

He will be in the field for the St. Jude Classic which begins on Thursday.

Two well-known former Open champions missed in their bids for Pebble. Tom Kite, who won at Pebble Beach in 1992, missed by a shot in Colorado and Ryder Cup captain Corey Pavin the winner at Shinnecock Hills in 1995, missed by two shots in Chicago.

Billy Haas, a winner at the Bob Hope Classic this season, was another casualty in the Columbus qualifier.

Admission to the U.S. Open has never been easy and this year’s list of non-qualifiers is testament to that. For those who were lucky enough to make it, the hardest part is yet to come.

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