Nine Tigers To Compete in US Open Sectional Qualfying on Monday

May 31, 2007

Clemson, SC – Nine golfers with ties to Clemson will compete in US Open 36-hole sectional qualifying tournaments at three different sites on Monday, June 4. The nine golfers include three current Clemson golfers and assistant coach Jordan Byrd, while Byrd’s brother Jonathan, an All-American at Clemson from 1997-00, is one of four current PGA Tour players who will compete for a spot in this year’s US Open.

The nine golfers with ties to Clemson will attempt to join Lucas Glover at the 2007 US Open at Oakmont Country Club. Glover, an All-American at Clemson from 1997-01, has already qualified for the US Open by virtue of his top 30 finish (21st) on the 2006 PGA Tour money list.

Kyle Stanley, the top player on Clemson’s 2007 team, is one of five current or former Clemson golfers who will compete in the sectional qualifier in Columbus, OH. Stanley will have to play the 36-hole qualifier on Monday, just two days after the completion of the NCAA Men’s Championship at Williamsburg, VA on Saturday.

In addition to Stanley, former Clemson All-Americans D.J. Trahan, Jonathan Byrd, Charles Warren and Kevin Johnson, are in the field in Columbus, OH. Trahan, Byrd and Warren are all on the PGA Tour and were exempt through local qualifying. Johnson is currently on the Nationwide Tour and advanced through local qualifying. All but Trahan have already played in a US Open. Byrd finished 15th in 2003 at Olympia Fields Country Club in Illinois, the best finish ever by a former Clemson golfer.

In addition to Stanley, current Clemson golfers David May and Phillip Mollica are also in the sectional qualifying stage. May and Mollica will be in the sectional tournament at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, MD. May was the medallist at his local qualifying in Columbia, SC.

Brian Duncan, an All-American on Clemson’s 2006 team that finished seventh in the nation, will be in the sectional qualifier at Memphis, TN.

The most current or former players Clemson has had in a US Open is two. That took place in 2000, 2001 and 2004 and 2006. Glover and Trahan both played in the US Open at Mamaroneck, NY last year.

Results of the sectional qualifying will be posted on usopen.org on Monday evening.

Clemson Golfers in US Open Sectional Qualifying