West Grove’s Jeremiah takes top slot at Pine Hill GC

PINE HILL, N.J.-Bill Jeremiah of West Grove, Pa., reinstated as an amateur only a 1½ years ago, survived a 2:40 rain delay to post a 2-under-par 68 and earn medalist honors in a local qualifier for the U.S. Open Championship on Monday at Pine Hill GC (par 70, 6,831 yards). Jeremiah moves on to sectional qualifying on June 7 at Canoe Brook CC in Summit, N.J., where he’ll attempt to make his first U.S. Open Championship field.

  This local qualifier (field of 105 players at Pine Hill, 57 pros, 48 amateurs) was one of approximately 100, 18-hole local qualifiers for the U.S. Open Championship that will be played June 17-20 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y.

  Also advancing into sectional qualifying were Joey Bonargo (69), a native of Warminster, Pa., and current mini-tour professional on the Golden Bear Tour, John DiMarco (70), a teaching pro at Laurel Creek CC and Ross Cox (71), a freshmen at the University of Tennessee. Tino Weiss, also a freshmen at the University of Tennessee (71), declined the qualifying position. John Appleget (72), a teaching pro at Blue Heron Pines GC and Wildwood G&CC, Dave Roberts (72), an assistant professional at Cedarbrook CC, Strath Haven high school junior Conrad Von Borsig (72) and Brian Rothaus (72), an amateur from Philmont CC, will compete in a playoff for the final three of seven available positions tomorrow morning at 7:30 a.m. Play was suspended due to darkness. Sectionals are set for June 7-8 at 13 nationwide sites. Approximately 90 total spots will be awarded to fill the championship field of 156 players.

  Jeremiah, a member at Bidermann GC in Wilmington, Del., carded four birdies and two bogeys. He hit 11 of 14 fairways and 14 of 18 greens. This will be his second attempt at sectional qualifying.

  “My priority was to hit fairways and that’s what I did,” said Jeremiah, 35.

  Jeremiah sealed his quest for the sectional stop with a birdie on No. 17 (par 4, 445 yards). He fired a 3-wood, 6-iron to a foot. Jeremiah finished with a bogey on No. 18 (par 4, 406 yards) but said he felt “pretty safe,” after 17.

  Jeremiah was the former director of golf at Hartefeld National for four years before applying for reinstatement. Prior to that, he was an assistant at Pine Valley GC for two years.

  Bonargo, 31, a native of Warminster, Pa., who is currently a mini-tour professional on the Golden Bear Tour, carded a 1-under-par 69. He moves on to

  sectional qualifying on June 8 at Lake Nona G&CC in Orlando, Fla., where he’ll attempt to make his first U.S. Open Championship field.

  For Bonargo it’s been a long road back.

  He missed almost three years of action, from 2000-03, with a neck injury. Bonargo said he tore two disks in his neck from overuse.

  He stated his game’s been rounding back into shape, though, collecting checks in six of the last seven Golden Bear stops in February and March. The La Salle High School and University of Mississippi graduate is looking for big things when the Golden Bear restarts in June.

  Bonargo currently splits time living in Jackson, Miss. and Stuart, Fla.

  DiMarco, started his day with a double bogey on No. 1 (par 5, 520 yards), but recovered on the strength of some exception putting. He recorded a total of 25 total putts (11 on the front, 14 on the back).

  This is fourth attempt at sectionals. DiMarco did make the U.S. Open field when it visited Pinehurst CC in 1999 but failed to make the cut.

  “I started off terrible with a lost ball on the first hole and made seven and then almost hit it out of play on No. 2 (par 3, 170 yards), but got up and down and settled down,” said DiMarco. “[Obviously], I putted real well.”

  Cox and Weiss, both in town on their way to Yale University for the NCAA East Regional, posted 71s. It will be Cox’s first attempt at Sectional qualifying. Weiss, a native of Switzerland, said he would be traveling home as the reason for declining the final position.