Bob Estes lead the U.S. Open sectional qualifying at Lakeside Country Club in Houston Texas with a six under par 36 hole total and will advance to the U.S. Open at Olympic Club in San Francisco.
Four players were tied for second place at four under including Jordan Spieth of the University of Texas and Cody Whitsett of Alabama.
After arriving in Houston at 1:00 AM Monday morning and rising at 4:00 AM, Speith, Whitsett, and Dylan Fritelli went to the course and played 36 holes of medal play in the Houston heat to try and qualify for the U.S. Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco.
After a week of grueling play in the national championship, which went to the final hole of the final match before Texas won the championship, the youthful hopefuls made it through 36 holes in stellar fashion. Spieth and Whitsett posted -4 and were in a four man playoff for two spots. But even youth finally must yield to the fatigue factor. Spieth finished as first alternate after losing to a birdie in the playoff while Whitsett is the second alternate. Dylan Fritelli, the Texas Senior that clinched the national championship for the Longhorns with a clutch birdie putt on the last hole of the championship finished T9 with 73-69. Congratulations to the Longhorns for bringing home a national championship.
Alex Ellis, the current Firecracker Open champion and recent winner of the Austin Open Amateur division showed he belonged in the field by postin 72-71 to finish T15.
Tom Kite, a former U.S. Open Champion at Pebble Beach in 1992 shot 71-74 to finish T23.
Luke Main, whol lists Austin as his hometown shot 74-73 to finish T29.
Lonnie Alexander, Head Professional at Onion Creek Country Club finished T37 after posting 77-74.
Matt Henson, a former St. Edwards golfer and now professional, shot 77-81 and finish 51st.
Stratton Nolen, a recent graduate from Westlake High School and soon to play for Oklahoma State Cowboys in College had his initiation to U.S. Open competition and posted 78-81.
Congratulations to all the Austinites who made it to the sectional qualifying and to Bob Estes for advancing to the U.S. Open.
