Aron Price, Tim Wilkinson, Sam Horsfield, and Matthew Borchert have advanced to the 116th U.S. Open Championship. The sectional qualifying event was conducted by the Florida State Golf Association at Timuquana Country Club, in Jacksonville. Weather forced the 36-hole qualifier into a Tuesday finish.
Aron Price, 34, of Australia, earned medalist honors after rounds of 69-66 –135. Price got off to a solid start in round one making 5 birdies to go along with only two bogies on holes 5 and 11. In the final round Price continued his solid play opening up with 3 birdies on his first 4 holes to turn at 33. Price would go on to make three more birdies for his round of 6-under par 66 and punch his ticket to Oakmont. This is the second time Price has advanced through the Florida Sectional site and his second appearance at the U.S. Open!
Tim Wilkinson, 38, of New Zealand, earned the second spot at Oakmont after his rounds of 69-68. Wilkinson who plays full time on the PGA Tour this season, put himself into contention after his first round of 69. After a bogey on this second hole in the afternoon, Wilkinson would go on to make 5 birdies en route to his round of 68. Wilkinson will be making his first appearance at the U.S. Open Championship.
Sam Horsfield, 19, of Davenport, qualified for his second U.S. Open Championship after making birdie on the first playoff hole. The past FSGA Amateur and Junior Champion, posted rounds of 68-70 to earned low amateur honors at the qualifier. Horsfield who currently attends the University of Florida as a Freshman, was recently named the recipient of the Golf Coaches Association of America's Phil Mickelson Outstanding Freshman Award. Sam also was named a PING First-Team All-American, a semifinalist for the Ben Hogan Award, the Jack Nicklaus Award, and is a finalist for the Fred Haskins Award. Horsfield is currently ranked 9th in the World Amateur Golf Rankings.
Matthew Borchert, 39, of Windermere, earned the fourth and final spot to Oakmont by advancing in the sudden death playoff. Borchet who is the teaching Professional at Isleworth G & CC posted round of 68-70 to find himself in a 5 player playoff for 2 spots. With the playoff headed to the 18th hole, Borchert like Horsfield would go on to birdie the first playoff hole to advance to the U.S. Open. Borchert who held his PGA Tour card in 2008 and 2009 will be playing in his first U.S. Open Championship.
Zachary Edmondson, of Cary, NC, was the first alternate, and Joey Garber, of Petoskey, Mich, was the second alternate.
The United States Open Championship will be conducted at Oakmont Country Club, in Oakmont, Pennsylvania on June 16-19.
Click here for final results
