Boothwyn’s O’Hair continues strong play

  FLEETWOOD, Pa.– Sean O’Hair, 22, of Boothwyn, Pa., a rookie on the PGA Tour who grabbed the golf community’s attention last week with a second-place finish in the EDS Byron Nelson Championship, carded a 1-over-par 71 at Moselem Springs GC (par 70, 6,824 yards) on Thursday to earn medallist honors in a local qualifier for the U.S. Open Championship. O’Hair, George Forster, 49, of Blue Bell, Pa., and Gregg Angelillo, 34, of Hoboken, N.J., advanced to U.S. Open sectional qualifying set for May 30 and June 6-7 at 14 nationwide sites.

  This local qualifier (field of 44 players, 29 pros, 15 amateurs) is one of 107, 18-hole local qualifiers for the U.S. Open Championship that will be played June 16-19 at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in the Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

  A total of 96 spots for the championship field will be divided amongst the various sectional qualifiers. A field of 156 players will compete in the U.S. Open.

  O’Hair’s past is well chronicled. He made national headlines as a 17 year old when he turned professional while still in high school. He finally earned his tour card and regular spot on the PGA Tour circuit this season. His second-place finish at the EDS Byron Nelson Championship pushed O’Hair into 32^nd on the PGA Tour money list.

  “It’s been a little overwhelming,” said O’Hair of the last few days. “The support has been phenomenal.”

  O’Hair’s carded an even-par 35 on the front side and a 1-over-par 36 on the back. Not bad considering he’s never seen Moselem Springs and its treacherous putting greens before.

  O’Hair played the previous five weeks on the Tour before heading home. He said he’s set to play the next three weeks and then, hopefully, in his first U.S. Open. He’ll head to Rockville, Md., on June 6 for his fourth attempt at making the U.S. Open field.

  Forster and Angelillo, too, will be looking to make their first U.S. Open appearances.

  Forster, the head professional at Radnor Valley CC, has advanced to the Sectional stage two other times. At Moselem Springs GC, he used his putter to give himself another opportunity.

  Forster registered a remarkably low 27 putts on his 18 holes, including miraculous birdies on No. 6 (par 4, 412 yards) and No. 7 (par 5, 552 yards). He drained a 40-footer on No. 6 and a 50-footer on the seventh hole.

  He will head to Rockville, Md., as well.

  Angelillo, a member at Moselem Springs GC, figured a number around par would be good enough to make it.

  He pointed to his birdie on No. 17 (par 4, 412 yards) as the difference maker. Angelillo dropped his drive into the right fairway bunker about 135 yards from the hole. He punched a 5-iron out from underneath the trees to six feet and made the birdie chance.

  “I’ve tried to qualify for this a handful of times and I wasn’t going to do it this year but I figured I knew the course so I mine as well do it,” said Angelillo. “To dream of the U.S. Open is incredible.”

  Angelillo struggled last year, physically, and made a concerted effort to get in better shape.

  He carried his own bag on Thursday.

  “That’s a testament to what I’ve been working toward,” said Angelillo, who works for Lincoln Financial Services. He’ll head to Summit, N.J. for Sectionals.