PURCHASE, N.Y. (June 2, 2008) – A quartet of professional golfers made it through sectional qualifying at Old Oaks Country Club and will join the field for the 108th U.S. Open Championship, which begins on Thursday, June 12 at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California. Surviving today’s 36-hole qualifying in regulation were medalist Kevin Silva of New Bedford, Massachusetts, who shot rounds of 70-69; Jeffrey Bors, an assistant pro at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., who came in with 72-70; and 26-year-old Canadian Tour member Yohann Benson (75-67).

 

Three players who finished with two-round totals of 143 proceeded to a sudden-death playoff for the final qualifying spot, and the spirited battle featured two former Met Open champions. Piping Rock (Locust Valley, N.Y.) head professional Mike Gilmore, the 2000 Met Open champ, sank a 25-foot birdie putt on the fifth playoff hole to beat out 2003 Met Open champion Andrew Svoboda, who will be the first alternate. Mathias Gronberg of Sweden made bogey on the second playoff hole and is the second alternate.

 

Following the long day, the 43-year-old Gilmore said, “That was intense. After 36 holes, to go through that playoff was just incredible.” It will be Gilmore’s second U.S. Open appearance, the other coming in 1992 at Pebble Beach. He has played in two previous PGA Championships. 

 

The 6,665-yard Old Oaks layout, with its narrow fairways and fast greens, played very difficult despite the warm, sunny conditions. After 18 holes, four players were tied for the lead at even-par 70, including Silva, Gilmore, and Svoboda. During the entire day only three players – Silva, Benson and GlenArbor Golf Club (Bedford Hills, N.Y.) head professional Rob Labritz – broke par in one of their rounds.

 

The 33-year-old Bors is a native of the Cleveland suburb of Chadron, Ohio, and played golf at Division III John Carroll University there. This past winter, he worked at Seminole Golf club in Palm Beach, Florida as an assistant pro under Bob Ford, and is in his second season working at Shinnecock Hills under head professional Jack Druga. Bors and his wife have a residence in St. Simons Island, Georgia, where he got his start as a teaching pro at the Sea Island Resort. He was filled with emotion when asked what it feels like to make it to the national championship. “It’s just the ultimate,” he said.

 

Silva, 24 and a member of the Hooters Tour, was equally excited, saying of Torrey Pines: “I can’t wait to get out there.” This was Silva’s fourth time reaching U.S. Open sectional qualifying, but his first time making it through to the final field. He played college golf at the University of North Carolina, but is a native of New Bedford, Massachusetts and is familiar with Northeast courses such as Old Oaks. “As soon as I stepped foot on this course yesterday, I was comfortable and thought it would play into my hands,” said Silva.

 

Morgan Hoffmann, 18, of Saddle Brook, N.J., was low amateur among today’s competitors and finished t-18 after rounds of 73-75. Carl Alexander of Bedford, N.Y., the 2007 Met PGA Head Professional champion, finished t-21 after shooting 73-76, along with former Metropolis Country Club head professional Ron Philo.