NEWPORT BEACH >> Doug Quinones of Hidden Valley Lake played solid golf during the course of 36 holes Monday, yet it wasn’t enough as the former Middletown High School and University of Kansas golfer came up short in regional qualifying for the 115th annual United States Open Golf Championship. The National Open is truly open, and 58 spots were up for grabs at 10 sites throughout the country.
Quinones elected to qualify for the U.S. Open in the Southern California regional that was contested at Big Canyon Country Club and Newport Beach Country Club. The top seven advanced to the Open, which will be played at Chambers Bay on Pudget Sound from June 18-21. Quinones shot an opening-round 1-under-par 71 at Big Canyon and followed it up with a 2-under-par 70 in the afternoon session at Newport Beach for a 3-under-par 141 total. The seventh and final qualifier finished two shots ahead of Quinones at 5-under-par 139.
Among those in the Southern California field were PGA Tour golfers Keith Clearwater, Jeff Brehaut, Jason Gore and Max Homa. U.S. Public Links Amateur champ and University of Pacific golfer Byron Meth was in the field as was Branson High School senior Miguel Delgado. All of the aforementioned failed to qualify.
Leading the way in Southern California was Kevin Lucas at 9-under-ar 135. Jared Becher, amateur Beau Hossler, and amateur Jake Knapp finished at 7-under-par 137. Brian Campbell came in at 6-under-par 138. Josh Anderson and Alex Kim grabbed the last two available spots at 5-under-par 139.
Other golfers to advance via the grueling qualifying route included two-time Open champ Lee Janzen, who qualified in New York; Luke Donald, who qualified at the Florida regional; Billy Hurley, who made it through the Maryland qualifier; and the foursome of Sam Saunders, Ryo Ishikawa, Bo Van Pelt, and Camilo Vilegas, all of whom were at the Ohio site after playing in this week’s Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio. Saunders is the grandson of Arnold Palmer.
