U.S. Open Qualifying Results from N. Carolina

Bluffton, N.C. (MAY 10, 2001) - Craig Merrell of Charleston, SC posted a five under par 67 over the Jack Nicklaus Course at Colleton River Plantation to lead all qualifiers to the second stage for the 101st US Open Championship. Merrell recorded five birdies against no bogeys on his nines of 34-33 = 67 to capture the medal by a single stroke over four players at 68.

Mike Harmon of Beaufort made birdie on his final two holes to lead the group at 68. John Engler of Augusta, GA and Clemson University, Jack Hall of Savannah, GA, and Justin Bolli of Roswell, GA also advanced to sectional qualifying with 68s.

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Kyle Thompson of Columbia, SC and Nash Elliott of Estill, SC both of the University of South Carolina and John Patterson of Hilton Head, SC all made birdie on the first hole of a six way play-off to take the final three qualifying spots.

Patterson was three under par through fifteen holes, before making a crucial mistake on 16 that almost cost him an opportunity to advance.

Patterson played a wrong ball (which was the provisional of one of his fellow competitors) After discovering his error and taking the two stroke penalty, he proceeded to get down in two from the fairway with the correct ball for a bogey five. Patterson then made birdie on 17 and a par on eighteen to finish at 69 and stay alive for a playoff.

As players on the course failed to make a charge, the score held up. Patterson then rifled an iron shot to within five feet and converted the putt for his birdie and a trip to the sectional qualifying.

CRAIG MERRELL (CHARLESTON, SC) 34 33 67 Qualifier

JACK HALL (SAVANNAH, GA) 35 33 68 Qualifier

MICHAEL HARMON (BEAUFORT, SC) 34 34 68 Qualifier

JOHN ENGLER (AUGUSTA, GA) 33 35 68 Qualifier

KYLE THOMPSON (COLUMBIA, SC) 35 34 69 Qualifier

NASH ELLIOTT (COLUMBIA, SC) 35 34 69 Qualifier

JOHN PATTERSON (BLUFFTON, SC) 34 35 69 Qualifier

MIKE DEVLIN JR (WEST PALM BEACH, FL) 34 35 69 1st Alternate



LUCAS GLOVER (GREENVILLE, SC) 35 34 69 2nd Alternate

PHILIP BOEHME (CHARLESTON, SC) 32 37 69 3rd Alternate

BRUCE MCDONALD (CHARLESTON, SC) 34 36 70 4th Alternate

MARK PEEL (DELRAY BEACH, FL) 37 33 70

BROOKS BLACKBURN (AUGUSTA, GA) 35 35 70

MARION DANTZLER (ORANGEBURG, SC) 34 36 70

TODD BARRANGER (BLUFFTON, SC) 36 34 70

CLINT JENSEN (PALM BEACH GARDENS, FL) 34 36 70

CHRIS MYERS (SUMMERVILLE, SC) 38 33 71

THOMAS IREDELL (HILTON HEAD, SC) 38 33 71

MARK JORDAN (SYLVANIA, GA) 37 34 71

DANIEL BRUNSON (GREENVILLE, SC) 36 35 71

CONRAD RAY (HILTON HEAD, SC) 35 36 71

JOHN FESPERMAN JR (RICHMOND HILL, GA) 35 36 71

JASON LARSON (JACKSONVILLE, FL) 35 36 71

DIRK AYERS (JAMESTOWN, NY) 34 37 71

RON FRISCH (HILTON HEAD, SC) 39 33 72

MICHAEL BLEWETT JR (SUMMERVILLE, SC) 37 35 72

GUS SYLVAN (COLUMBIA, SC) 36 36 72

BRIAN DILLARD (BLUFFTON, SC) 36 36 72

TIM STRAUB (HUNTERSVILLE, NC) 35 37 72

JAMES SULLIVAN (ABINGTON, PA) 35 37 72

TERRY LANNING (BEAUFORT, SC) 35 37 72

STEVE FOSS (HEPHZIBAH, GA) 34 38 72

VAUGHN TAYLOR (AUGUSTA, GA) 34 38 72

CHRISTIAN NEWTON (LYONS, GA) 38 35 73

KRIS BLANKS (MYRTLE BEACH, SC) 38 35 73

RICHARD MADDOX (AUGUSTA, GA) 37 36 73

GREG POWERS (ALPHARETTA, GA) 37 36 73

FRANK FORD (CHARLESTON, SC) 37 36 73

JUSTIN ROOF (CONWAY, SC) 36 37 73

JOE KATTER (WALESKA, GA) 35 38 73

BILL MCDONALD (MARIETTA, GA) 38 36 74

LEE PUDDEFOOT (FLORENCE, SC) 38 36 74

BERT ATKINSON (CHARLESTON, SC) 38 36 74

JEREMY REVIS (TAYLORS, SC) 37 37 74

DUSTIN MCCABE (BLUFFTON, SC) 37 37 74

HENRY THOMPSON (MILLEN, GA) 37 37 74

THOMAS SCHUPP (NORTH CHARLESTON, SC) 36 38 74

JEFFREY FRAIM (CHARLESTON, SC) 36 38 74

JUSTIN BOLLI (ROSWELL, GA) 36 38 74

KEVIN ARNOLD (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC) 36 38 74

KYLE BRADLEY (N AUGUSTA, SC) 35 39 74

ERIC KENNEDY (BLUFFTON, SC) 40 35 75

STEFAN MIERZWA (BLUFFTON, SC) 39 36 75

ANDY BLANTON (MOULTRIE, GA) 39 36 75

KEVIN BLANTON (MOULTRIE, GA) 39 36 75

ELLIOT GEALY (SALISBURY, NC) 39 36 75

DAVID MOBLEY (CHARLOTTE, NC) 38 37 75

BRUCE HOTTLE (HILTON HEAD, SC) 38 37 75

DAVID HOULIHAN (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC) 37 38 75

BILLY ASHFORD (POOLER, GA) 37 38 75

MICHAEL WOODSON (ROCHESTER, NY) 37 38 75

ADAM RUSHIN (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC) 37 38 75

DON BAUMER (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC) 36 39 75

ANDY WALKER (ALPHARETTA, GA) 41 35 76

JASON HENLEY (DULUTH, GA) 40 36 76

JOHN MC MAHON (HILTON HEAD, SC) 39 37 76

SCOTT HAMILTON (CARTERSVILLE, GA) 39 37 76

TROY LAGRONE (SAVANNAH, GA) 38 38 76

RALPH ALFIERI (HILTON HEAD, SC) 38 38 76

MARTIN ROACHE (ORANGEBURG, SC) 38 38 76

BRENT DELAHOUSSAYE (GREER, SC) 37 39 76

OSWALD DRAWDY (ATLANTA, GA) 36 40 76

CHRISTOPHER DOMJAN (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC) 36 40 76

JOHN EDWARDS (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC) 41 36 77

TIM SUTHERLAND (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC) 41 36 77

RANDY MURRAY (FRIPP ISLAND, SC) 40 37 77

MARK NORTHEY (ROSWELL, GA) 37 40 77

MICHAEL PARROTT (MARIETTA, GA) 37 40 77

DAVID ROGER (SAVANNAH, GA) 36 41 77

ANDY GREGORY (MURRELLS INLET, SC) 43 35 78

LLOYD WOLFE (MT PLEASANT, SC) 41 37 78

PAUL GRIZ (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC) 40 38 78

BRETT BERRY (SPARTANBURG, SC) 37 41 78

PETER JANNOTT (HILTON HEAD, SC) 42 37 79

ADAM CRINITI (HILTON HEAD, SC) 41 38 79

SEAN THOMPSON (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC) 39 40 79

MICHAEL TRACY (HILTON HEAD, SC) 38 41 79

PETE POPOVICH (BLUFFTON, SC) 37 42 79

ADAM HOLOWCZAK (PARMA, OH) 43 37 80

BRIAN GAFFNEY (PORT ST LUCIE, FL) 43 37 80

MICHAEL FOSTER JR (SAVANNAH, GA) 39 41 80

CLINT AVRET (HILTON HEAD, SC) 38 42 80

NOEL PACK (AIKEN, SC) 44 37 81

STEVE WILSON (HILTON HEAD, SC) 42 39 81

JOE MATHENY (ST SIMONS ISLAND, GA) 41 40 81

DAVE JONES (LAKE MARY, FL) 41 40 81

BRANDON DUFF (GOODRICH, MI) 41 40 81

MICHAEL WILSON (CHARLESTON, SC) 40 41 81

SCOTT ELLENDER (BLUFFTON, SC) 39 42 81

STEVE KELLEHER (CHARLESTON, SC) 36 45 81

GABRIEL MENJIVAR (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC) 40 42 82

J J MOORE (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC) 45 38 83

BILL ALSPAUGH (MATTHEWS, NC) 44 39 83

STAN THOMPSON (AIKEN, SC) 45 39 84

NEILL BOYD (BLUFFTON, SC) 44 40 84

TONY BRIGSTOCK (SUWANEE, GA) 44 40 84

MICHAEL NICHOLS (KINSTON, NC) 41 43 84

EDWARD HART (BEAUFORT, SC) 39 45 84

CHRISTOPHER STAKE (TAYLORS, SC) 43 42 85

BILL SHEA (SEQUIM, WA) 43 42 85

MARTY CROCKER (BLUFFTON, SC) 43 43 86

BRIAN TEULKER (HILTON HEAD, SC) 43 43 86

STEPHEN BURD (HILTON HEAD ISLAND, SC) 44 44 88