Kentuckians Jacob Cook and Erik Edwards lead group of six advancing to U.S. Open Final Qualifying.

LEXINGTON, KY (May 11, 2022) – Jacob Cook, Erik Edwards, Matt Picanso, Joey Savoie, Chris Francoeur, and Andrew Stephens are now one day’s worth of golf away from qualifying for the 122^nd U.S. Open. Those six players advanced through Kentucky’s sole Local Qualifier for the third men’s major of the year at Kearney Hill Golf Links on Wednesday.

More than 90 players teed off at the Lexington venue throughout the day playing for one of the six guaranteed berths in the last stage of advancing to the USGA’s premier men’s championship. With sunny skies making for a warm day with the wind absent, low scores were there to be had, which Cook and Edwards took full advantage of.

Both players shot 66 (-6) which was the top score of the day meaning each player will share medalist honors from the competition. Cook, a Frankfort native and Kentucky Wildcat, notched seven birdies against just one bogey during his round. Edwards, a product of Louisville and former Indianapolis Greyhound, was the only player to not make a bogey during his round. He made six birdies, four of which came in his first six holes, while the other two birdies came on holes 17 and 18 to end his day.

Bakersfield, California’s Matt Picanso finished in solo third place thanks to a round of 67 (-5). Opening with 32 (-4) on the front nine, Picanso overcame a disappointing bogey on the par-five 14^th with two birdies in his last four holes to secure himself the third of six berths in Final Qualifying.

The last three spots needed a playoff to determine who would be the recipients of the last available spots. Five players shot 68 (-4) which sent Savoie, Francoeur, Stephens, Jesse Massie, and Bryce Haney to extra holes in a five-for-three sudden-death contest.

The playoff began on the 14^th where Savoie, a Canadian who played college golf at Middle Tennessee State, sealed the first spot. He was the only player to make birdie and did so after reaching the green in two. A lag from thirty feet to within a foot of the hole meant the ensuing tap-in would send him on to Final Qualifying when each of his combatants made par.

That left four players vying for two spots and the par-five 18^th was their next stop. Francoeur, Stephens and Massie each made birdie, but Haney was unable to match them and a par for the Ohioan eliminated him from contention.

The par-four 1^st was the site of the playoff’s third hole and ultimately the finish line. Francoeur, who plays collegiately with the Louisville Cardinals, sank a birdie putt from ten feet to punch his ticket to Final Qualifying. As a Massachusetts native, it puts him one step away from reaching a U.S. Open that will be played in his home state when The Country Club at Brookline serves as host on June 16-19.

The sixth and final spot for Final Qualifying went to Andrew Stephens, who was last year’s medalist in Kentucky’s Local Qualifier when Cherry Blossom Golf Club hosted. Stephens’ par on his 21^st hole of the day proved good enough to advance when Massie made bogey. As a result, Massie is the first alternate for Final Qualifying while Haney will be the second alternate.

But for the six now planning a trip for Final Qualifying, they can prepare for 36 holes of golf at one of the sites set to host players from across the globe looking to compete in the national open. The list of those Final Qualifying sites can be found by clicking here.

NOTES & STATS

• While it was not quite enough to make it in the playoff, Alex Turner of Prospect had the best nine-hole score of the day with 31 (-5) on the back nine. Turner stood at +2 when he stood on the 13^th tee but made three birdies and an eagle during the last six holes which left him as one of five players one shot shy of the playoff.
• Six eagles were made during the competition with all of them coming on a par-five. One was made on the 7^th, two were recorded on the 14^th, and the 18^th allowed three.
• Those eagles helped make the 18^th the easiest hole of the day. With 33 birdies also made on the finishing hole, that helped the hole play to a stroke-to-par average of -0.31.
• The par-three 12^th was the most difficult by a significant margin, coming in at +0.58. Only four birdies were made there, by far the fewest of any hole. 46 players made bogey or worse.
• The front nine played moderately easier than the back nine with players averaging 36.76 strokes on holes 1-9. The back nine averaged 37.45. Combined, that made the day’s scoring average 74.21.

Click here to view the final results

Click here to view the photo gallery

Click here to view other Local Qualifier results

The Kentucky Golf Association extends its thanks to Chris Boysel, PGA Head Golf Professional and the entire staff at Kearney Hill Golf Links for their assistance in conducting today’s Local Qualifier. Additionally, the KGA lends its appreciation to each player who competed in today’s event.

The next tournament on the KGA’s schedule is another big one with the Kentucky Match Play Championships set to take place at Griffin Gate Golf Club on May 17-19. Additionally, qualifiers for the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Kentucky Amateur will begin next week.

About the Kentucky Golf Association:
The Kentucky Golf Association (KGA) is one of the three organizations encompassed under Golf House Kentucky, in addition to the Kentucky Golf Foundation (KGF) and Kentucky PGA Section (KPGA). The Kentucky Golf Association represents the amateur body of Kentucky’s golfers working in assistance with the United States Golf Association (USGA). The KGA provides a wide range of services, including handicapping, USGA course and slope ratings, and tournament management software to its Member Clubs. The KGA also operates the state’s premier amateur tournaments along with USGA National Championship qualifiers. Alongside the KGF and KPGA, the KGA strives to promote the benefits and enjoyment of golf while continuing to grow the sport across the Commonwealth.

Media Contact:
Ethan Fisher, PGA | Golf House Kentucky | efisher@kygolf.org | (502) 792-9703