Five Former and Future Tigers Advance From Local Qualifying |
Clemson, SC-Five golfers with connections to Clemson have advanced
through local qualifying for the 2006 US Open. The list includes four former Tigers and one future Clemson golfer, 2006-07 signee Sam Saunders. All five will join three former Tigers on the PGA Tour in the sectional qualifying at 13 different United States courses June 5-6. The qualifiers from the sectional will play in the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot in Mamaronek, NY June 15-18. The former Clemson players who have advanced through local qualifying are Elliot Gealy, Ben Duncan, Matt Hendrix and Tommy Biershenk. They will join Jonathan Byrd, D.J. Trahan and Charles Warren, three former Tigers currently on the PGA Tour, in the sectional qualifying round. Former Clemson golfer Lucas Glover has already qualified for the US Open by virtue of his #30 finish on the PGA Tour money list last year, and thus does not have to go through any qualifying rounds. Biershenk was the first former Tiger to advance through local qualifying as the 1996 Clemson senior shot a 68 at Standard County Club in Louisville, KY on May 8th to finish second overall at that site. Biershenk has played very well of late at the professional level and ranks first on the NGA Hooters Tour money list with over $65,000. He already has two tournament victories this year, including the LaSalle Bank Pro Golf Classic in Granger, IN last weekend. Matt Hendrix, an All-American on Clemson's 2003 National Championship team, advanced through local qualifying on May 15th when he shot a 70 at Oklahoma City Golf and Country Club in Oklahoma City, OK His 70 that day tied for second in the field. Hendrix is currently ranked 53rd on the Nationwide Tour money list. That same day, future Clemson golfer Sam Saunders fired a 69 at Metrowest Golf Club in Orlando, FL to advance through local play. That round was tied for fourth in the field. Saunders, ranked fourth among junior players nationally, will enter Clemson as a freshman in August. On May 17 another former Tiger who started on Clemson's 2003 National Championship team advanced to sectional play. Ben Duncan, brother of current Clemson senior Brian Duncan, fired a 72 to finish tied for second in the local qualifying at the Colleton River Plantation Dye Course in Bluffton, SC. Elliot Gealy, a senior at Clemson in 1999, qualified for the sectional play with a score of 69 at Governors Club in Chapel Hill on May 22.
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