GEORGETOWN, KY (May 5, 2021) – A dominant round of 62 (-10) from Andrew Stephens in the U.S. Open Local Qualifier at Cherry Blossom Golf Club on Wednesday guaranteed him the first of six guaranteed spots into Final Qualifying. Stephens, along with Austin Schoonmaker, Cameron Willis, William Nottingham, Billy Basham, and Rocco Zakutney are now just one step away from Torrey Pines and the 121^st U.S. Open. On either May 24 or June 7, the six players will compete in one of eleven Final Qualifiers to help finalize the field for the third men’s major championship of 2021.

The low round of the day from Stephens had him -11 with one hole to play, and while he made bogey on the last, it did finish off a phenomenal round of golf that bettered Schoonmaker and Willis’ scores by five strokes. That bogey on the last was the only one Stephens made on a day that featured eleven birdies and six pars otherwise. Stephens, who is already exempt for this year’s Barbasol Championship by virtue of being the Kentucky PGA’s ROLEX Player of the Year in 2020, will now look to add a major championship appearance to his summer schedule should he have a similar performance in Final Qualifying.

Kentucky natives Zakutney and Basham each shot 69 (-3) to guarantee themselves a spot in the next stage on the number. Tennessee’s Nottingham also finished at that mark, while Ohio representatives Schoonmaker and Willis shot 67 (-5) to qualify with some breathing room. The only playoff needed determined the first and second alternate positions, with Jack Weller snatching the first alternate spot while Jacob Cook will be the second alternate.

Originally scheduled to take place on Tuesday, May 4, the Qualifier was postponed to today after heavy rains yesterday morning rendered the golf course unplayable for the remainder of the day. After withdraws from the schedule change, 85 players ultimately submitted a scorecard in today’s event with 22 recording a round of 72 (E) or better.

NOTES & STATS

• Seven total eagles were made today, but the only one on a par-four came from Jackson Finney who holed out on the par-four 3^rd. The Louisville product ended up shooting 72 (E) to finish T15.
• The final hole was the hardest of the competition with the par-four 18^th playing to a stroke-to-par average of +0.55. Just two birdies were made there while ten golfers made double bogey or worse there.
• Ending the front nine was a considerably easier task than finishing the back nine, as the par-five 9^th was statistically the easiest hole of the day, ringing in at -0.31. Four eagles and 27 birdies were recorded here.

Click here to view the final results

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Click here to view other U.S. Open Local Qualifier results and upcoming schedule

The Kentucky Golf Association extends its thanks to Cherry Blossom Golf Club for their support and assistance in hosting this event. After the rainfall yesterday morning and overnight, their staff did incredible work to provide players with a quality venue today. The next USGA Championship qualifier in Kentucky takes place Monday, June 7 with a U.S. Junior Amateur qualifier at Oxmoor Country Club.