2005 U.S. Open Local Qualifying #1

Qualifiers:	Total
Jeff Belk, Marietta, GA (a)	67
William Streib, Atlanta, GA (a)	69
Paul Claxton, Claxton, GA	70
Donn Perno, Atlanta, GA	71  *
Russell Henley, Macon, GA (a)	71  *
Sam Hulsey, Gainesville, GA (a)	71  *
Tim Schaetzel, Atlanta, GA (a)	71  *
Alternates:
1st Rob Langley, Greenville, S.C. (a)	71  *
2nd Richard Stark, Canton, GA (a)	71  *
3rd Douglas Green, Cumming, GA (a)	71  *
4th Phil Taylor, Dunwoody, GA	72

 

(a)  denotes amateur 
*  determined in playoff 

 

Notes:
A total of 107 players entered the local qualifier at Rivermont, playing for seven qualifying spots and four alternate positions. Rivermont played to 6,767 yards and a par of 72. Its rating is 73.2 and slope is 132.

Amateur Jeff Belk of Marietta, Ga., formerly a member at Rivermont, shot 67 to take medalist honors by two strokes over another amateur, William Streib of Atlanta. Belk, who started on No. 10, began the day with a bogey, but rattled off six birdies in a seven-hole span from No. 16 to No.4, including four straight on holes 1 through 4.

The seven players tied at 71 competed in a playoff to determine the final four qualifying spots and the order for the first three alternate positions. Donn Perno of Atlanta and Russell Henley of Macon, Ga., both birdied the first playoff hole (No. 1) to claim the first fourth and fifth qualifying positions in the playoff. Sam Hulsey of Gainesville, Ga. and Tim Schaetzel of Atlanta then birdied the second playoff hole (No. 18) to earn the final two qualifying positions.

The first two alternate positions were decided on the fourth playoff hole, as Rob Langley of Greenville, S.C. parred the 18th and Richard (Blake) Stark of Canton, Ga. bogeyed. Douglas Green of Cumming, Ga. fell to the third alternate position with a bogey on the second playoff hole. With a score of 72, Phil Taylor of Dunwoody, Ga. earned the fourth alternate spot after the other four players tied at 72 elected not to participate in a playoff for the position.

At 16 years, one month and four days old, Henley was the youngest player in the 107-person field.

A second local qualifier will take place at Planterra Ridge Golf Club in Peachtree City next Monday, May 23. Local qualifiers advance to Sectional Qualifying, which will consist of 36 holes of stroke play. GSGA will conduct a Sectional Qualifying round on June 6 at East Lake Golf Club in Roswell, with the qualifying players advancing to the U.S. Open Championship at Pinehurst Resort in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C., June 16-19.

Entries were open to any professional and to amateurs with USGA Handicap Indexes not exceeding 1.4. The U.S. Open is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association.