The U.S. Open is a true “Open” event—if you have a 2 handicap or less and can plunk down a few bucks you can tee it up with the finest golfers in the nation to try qualify and to play in our national open. Players ranging in age from 14 to well over 60 give it a go each and every year with most going home but for a few it is on to the big event.
Many guys try for years and years without any luck and then out of nowhere lightning strikes. Take the case of Steve LeBrun the West Palm Beach pro who is currently a Nationwide Tour member. He was an alternate following his local qualifying—leaves a nationwide event after missing the cut is driving home and gets the call that he is in the Columbus, Ohio qualifier. Now he has to decide does he leave his wife and 2 year old daughter to drive home as they were heading back to West Palm and fly to Columbus where 16 will qualify in a field of over 130? Or does he continue driving home and try to get in a Florida qualifier. This is a time when you feel it or you do not.
Steve chose to let them continue without him and go to Columbus and try against the best field arguably of the 11 qualifiers as the Memorial Tournament just ended and all of those guys not already in the Open were entered. The cost to try was at least $700.00 with no certainty at all. The 12 year pro proceeded to finish tied 9th and punched his ticket to Olympic Club! Time to point out that he arrived and played without the benefit of a practice round and this event was played on two courses he had never seen. Following the day Steve was quoted as saying he might just show up at Olympic on Wednesday, tee it up Thursday without the benefit of a practice round.
Sometimes life’s paths are crooked and with obstacles and sometimes they follow “the yellow brick road” to success—the fun of it all is often they are the same road. Good Luck Steve and play a practice round or two for the fun of it!!