News
Wednesday, May 6, 2009
Athletes From Other Sports Looking To Fulfill U.S. Open Dreams
Former big-league pitcher Erik Hanson has played in three USGA Men's State Team Championships, but is still looking to compete in his first U.S. Open. (USGA Museum)
By David Shefter, USGA
Most of the record 9,086 golfers whose 2009 U.S. Open entries were accepted by the USGA won’t be recognizable by the general public.
Outside of PGA Tour stars and possibly a few high-profile amateurs, the names might appear as if they’re in a phone book.
Just a lot of anonymous players seeking a few magical rounds with the hope of teeing it up June 18-21 at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y.
But mixed in with the potpourri of amateurs, mini-tour players and club professionals are a handful of guys who could be picked out of a lineup. They just make headlines in other sports arenas.
That group includes one current NFL quarterback (Tony Romo) and one former QB (Billy Joe Tolliver), three former pro hockey players (Grant Fuhr, Dan Quinn and Mike Dunham) and two ex-major leaguers (Erik Hanson and Chris Sabo). Quinn, Fuhr and Tolliver entered as pros, while Hanson possesses the lowest USGA Handicap Index among the four amateurs at plus-2.7.
All have been here before. And the lure of a spot in the 156-player U.S. Open field has brought them back.
Some have even had a taste of the USGA championship experience – Dunham and Sabo have qualified for the U.S. Mid-Amateur (both failed to make match play) – but none of the seven have ever competed on golf’s grandest stage.
“[Qualifying for the U.S. Open] would be a golf pinnacle for me,” Hanson told the Seattle Post-Intelligencer in 2007. He has represented Washington at the 2003, 2005 and 2007 USGA State Team Championship. “That would be like playing in the World Series.”
The 43-year-old Hanson, a right-handed pitcher who spent 11 seasons in the majors with four clubs, made that statement after advancing out of local qualifying for the U.S. Open at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. Unfortunately, he failed to qualify for the Open at the 36-hole sectional stage.
Hanson has won several regional amateur events, including the Oregon Open and Northwest Open, but those don’t quite compare with the magnitude of the U.S. Open. In baseball parlance, it’s the difference between pitching in Class A and the major leagues.
Tolliver has twice won the American Century Championship, a celebrity golf tournament held in Lake Tahoe, Nev., which in some ways is the U.S. Open for athletes, entertainers and television personalities. Then again, he never had to beat the likes of Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson to hoist the trophy.
Fuhr, a Hall of Fame goaltender who now assists Phoenix Coyotes head coach and good friend Wayne Gretzky, has played in events on the Canadian and Nationwide tours.
Quinn, who spent parts of 18 seasons in the NHL and scored a combined 266 goals for eight teams, has had some U.S. Open experience – as a caddie. He carried for John Daly during the 2000 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Dunham qualified for the 2007 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Bandon Dunes in southwest Oregon.
“It was a fantastic opportunity for me and one that I have certainly cherished,” said Dunham, now the goaltender coach for the New York Islanders. “We were there for four days, and it felt like we were only there for a day. It went by so quick, but it was so much fun.”
Romo has shown some glimpses that he can do more than just fire a football.
A few weeks ago, he carded a final-round 69 to win the Will County Amateur in Crete, Ill., by three strokes, in a field that included 2008 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up Todd Mitchell. This past March, he tied for 36th in his second-ever appearance at the Azalea Invitational in Charleston, S.C., where he competed against some top-flight college players.
Last year, he was selected to play Torrey Pines under U.S. Open conditions, albeit it was part of the Golf Digest U.S. Open Challenge. He was the only player of the four participants to break 90, shooting a respectable 84.
“When you watch it on TV, you really have no idea how hard it is,” said Romo after his round at Torrey Pines.
Added his father, Ramiro Romo, who was on hand for last year’s Challenge: “Anytime he gets into an event like this he really appreciates it, although he would like to do it the right way and play in an Open.”
Said 2008 U.S. Open Challenge participant and “Today Show” co-host Matt Lauer: “Tony Romo, he can just plain play. There’s no question about it. He shot 84 [and] he could have easily shot 79.”
Romo, who listed on his entry form that his USGA Handicap Index is 0.0, will make his fourth attempt on May 11 at Dallas National Golf Club. That same day, Quinn will be at Lost Tree Club in North Palm Beach, Fla. A day later, Dunham tees it up at the TPC of Boston in Norton, Mass., while Tolliver and Hanson are scheduled to qualify May 13 at Squire Creek C.C. in Choudrant, La., and The Home Course in Dupont, Wash., respectively.
Fuhr and Sabo play May 18 at the Golf Club of Scottsdale (Ariz.) and Maketewah C.C. in Cincinnati, respectively.
They will join the thousands of other hopefuls who aim to advance from the 112 18-hole local qualifying events to the 36-hole sectionals on June 8.
NOTE: A few other players with recognizable fathers are also trying to qualify, including Reed Howard, the son of Hollywood actor/director Ron Howard. Reed qualified for the 2008 U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst … Robert Floyd and Ray Floyd Jr., the sons of 1986 U.S. Open champion Raymond Floyd, are entered, along with Drew and Josh Nelson, the offspring of 1983 Open champ Larry Nelson … One female also is entered, Isabelle Beisiegel, who has made previous attempts.
David Shefter is a USGA Digital Media staff writer. E-mail him with questions or comments at dshefter@usga.org.
