19-year-old wins U.S. Open qualifier
PENN TWP — David Ross attends Penn State University, but does not play golf there.
He may be playing in the U.S. Open.
Ross, 19, of Alexandria, Va., carded a 3-under-par 67 Wednesday to win the U.S. Open local qualifying event at Butler Country Club.
He beat out Jake Mondy of Blacksburg, Va., by two strokes. Three other golfers — Kyle Grube of Indiana, T.J. Howe of Bellefonte and Devin Gee of Oakmont — shot an even-par 70.
The top four out of what turned out to be a 67-golfer field advance to one of 10 U.S. Open sectional qualifying tournaments across the country on June 4.
Surviving qualifiers from those sectionals join the U.S. Open field for the June 14-17 tourney at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.
“This was just a relaxing, enjoyable round of golf for me,” said Ross, who neverv even played a practice round at BCC before. “The greens were true and my putting saved me today, especially my putts for par.”
Ross played a bogey-free round. He birdied Hole No.'s 7, 12 and 14.
He is enrolled in the Pro Golf Management program at Penn State and is trying to land a U.S. Open berth for the first time.
“I chose to play here because a lot of my buddies at Penn State live in this area,” Ross said. “If I needed a caddy, I'm sure I could have gotten one of them.
“I decided to have my father caddy for me. It was a beautiful day to play and this is a beautiful course.”
Ross said his mother recently moved to Uniontown, another reason why he chose Butler Country Club to play his qualifying round.
Mondy, 25, who golfed for Auburn in college, never played BCC before squeezing in a practice round here Tuesday. He played a lot of golf down south and recently qualified for PGA Tour Canada.
“I prefer northern golf courses because they are the way golf is meant to be played,” Mondy said. “There is a lot more nature along the course, not a row of houses lining every hole.”
Mondy had played in U.S. Open local qualifiers twice before, but never advanced to the sectional round until now. He was among the early group of golfers to tee off.
“The wind seems to be kicking up a little now,” he said after his round. “I don't mind that at all. Maybe that will play to my favor.”Grube, Howe and Gee had a post-round playoff to determine the other two sectional qualifying spots. Grube and Howe won out.Mike Marron of Parker had the best round among Butler County area golfers in the field, carding a 74.Gino Baroffio of Butler — who works at Butler Country Club — was 1-over-par through nine holes before finishing with a 77. Baroffio is a 2012 Butler graduate.“I mis-hit a 4-iron on 10, yanked my pitching wedge on 11 ... I ran out of steam,” Baroffio said. “But the course was perfect. It was playing true. It was playing fair.”Former BCC pro Rob McClellan, now on staff at Oakview Golf Club in Slippery Rock, carded a 77 as well. He played even par over the back nine.“I double-bogeyed on the first hole,” McClellan said,. “Just a bad start ... I was 4-over after four holes.“You can bogey a hole and make up for it. But if you dig a hole early like I did, it's just not gonna happen — just wasn't my day.”Jon Pratkanis of Valencia, a 2003 Butler graduate, carded a 79. He was 6-over-par on the front nine.“I only play golf about five times a year anymore,” he said. “It's a time issue these days.“I figured I had to try qualifying for the Open at least once, I doubt I'll try it again.”Pratkanis had three birdies during his round, “but too many dumb shots add up to big numbers.”Brent Rodgers of Cranberry Township shot an 81 and Nicholas Penrod of Chicora carded an 82 to round out the local players in the field.Brady Pevarnik of Latrobe — the late Arnold Palmer's grandson — shot a 73.
