Three golfers at different points in their careers earned their golden ticket to the U.S. Open on Monday at the River Club in Suwanee.
- Jason Bohn, an Acworth resident for the past 14 years, is a PGA Tour pro who earned medalist honors at Open sectional qualifying with a 7-under 135 over 36 holes. He posted the lowest score among 43 players.
- Casey Wittenberg is a former PGA Tour player who has been on the Nationwide Tour since 2010. He qualified with a 6-under 136.
- Tim Weinhart, a club professional at the Standard Club in Duluth, qualified with a 5-under 137.
However, their joy at getting the chance to play at the Olympic Club next week was the same.
“It’s our national championship,” said Bohn, who has earned more than $9 million on Tour but didn't make the cut in his only previous. Open appearance in 2008. “Every time you can play a major and test your ability and see where your game is, it’s awesome. It’s what you work for, to test to see how good you are under the gun under the most extreme conditions.”
Bohn credited Stewart Cink, a River Club member, who gave him some course knowledge, his Scotty Cameron GoLo putter and new coach Mike Perpich of Atlanta for his results.
Bohn made a 65-foot birdie putt on 18 to end his first round and added a few more in the 20-25 foot range.
“I putted unbelievably well,” he said. “I haven’t putted like that in a long time.”
Weinhart, after getting a congratulatory handshake from Falcons coach Mike Smith, said he also putted well. He made eight birdies and hit the edge of the cup at least seven more times.
"It was a great day with the flatstick," he said.
This will be Weinhart's first U.S. Open. He said he will practice with his driver, long irons and hybrids this week, fly to San Francisco on Sunday and learn as much about the Olympic course as he can.
"I don't hit it 350 like these guys, but that's OK. I know how to wedge it," he said.
Wittenberg, who is from Memphis, advanced to his fifth Open by minimizing his mistakes.. He tied for 36th in his debut in 2004, the year after he was runner-up at the U.S. Amateur. He hasn't made the cut in his past three. Opens, the last appearance coming in 2009.
“I don’t think people appreciate playing in the majors until you aren’t in them and realize how hard it is to qualify for them,” he said. “The U.S. Open is truly the toughest test in golf and you get to see how you stack up with the people that you’ll be competing with for the rest of your life.”
Both Wittenberg and Bohn said they were exhausted afterward. Wittenberg played 84 holes in the past three days after the Nationwide Tour event in Raleigh was delayed by rain on Friday, necessitating 30 holes on Saturday, 18 on Sunday and 36 more Monday. He said he was one tired kid as he decompressed in a cart afterwards, waiting for the rest of scores to be posted.
Another local, recent Georgia Tech graduate James White, was the second alternate. He shot 1-under 141.
A smiling Bohn said even though the result was important, he won’t have fond memories of the grueling mental and physical effort that is sectional qualifying. He said the only fun thing will be the 50-mile ride home.
“This stuff was made for 20-year-olds, not 40-year-olds,” said Bohn, who will turn 40 next year. “I’m beat.”
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