Bobby Collins, of Palm Beach Gardens, fired a pair of 69’s to earn medalist honors posting a tournament total of 2-under par 138 on the par 70 Hills Course. After a first round 69, Collins, 35, trailed the first round leader by one stroke to share second place with two other competitors. Following the weather delay, Collins fought through steady rain the final round to make seven birdies including a 20-foot birdie putt on 18 to match his first round score and advance to his first U.S. Open. “It’s awesome,” said Collins, who competes on The Gateway Tour. “It was excruciating out there. It was a total mental test with the wind, rain and heat.”

Philippe Gasnier, 28, from Brazil, also advanced to the U.S. Open after recording a tournament total of even par 140. Like Collins, Gasnier carded a 69 in the first round to sit one back from the leader. Gasnier, who started the final round on the 10th hole, made bogey on his first two holes but recovered nicely with three birdies to make the turn at 34. Making birdie on the 9th hole, his final hole, Gasnier secured his spot in the Open as he finished with a 37 to post a 71 for the second round. “I did my best,” said Gasnier, who carried his own bag for the first nine holes. “It’s not easy to play 36 holes in these conditions.”

In a three-way playoff for the final qualifying spot, Joey Lamielle, 25, of Sarasota, prevailed on the 9th playoff hole to reserve his place in the Open. Joey Lamielle, Julian Suri, of St. Augustine, and Rod Perry, of Port Orange, each posted a 36-hole total of 141 to force a playoff on Tuesday morning. Starting on the par 4 10th hole, all players made par and followed that with another par 4 on 18. Back at 10, Perry was eliminated when Lamielle and Suri sank birdie putts. Alternating between holes 10 and 18, Lamielle and Suri each made par on 18 and traded birdies on the next two playoff holes. They both parred the 7th and 8th playoff holes, #10 and #18. On the 9th playoff hole, Lamielle drained a 15-foot birdie putt to emerge as the final qualifier. Lamielle, who played college golf at Florida Gulf Coast University, was the 2003 Florida State Match Play runner up. For the two rounds, Lamielle shot a 73-68. 

The sectional qualifier at Jupiter Hills was one of 14 across the world featuring amateur and professional golfers competing in 36 holes of stroke play. The field of 45 consisted of 32 professionals and 13 amateurs attempting to qualify for the U.S. Open. Participants either advanced through local qualifiers throughout the nation or earned exempt status from local qualifying. The Florida State Golf Association (FSGA) conducted 17 local qualifiers across the state and the sectional qualifier at Jupiter Hills. The FSGA will administer more than 40 qualifying events for USGA Championships this year, more than any other state.

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