In the sectional qualifying event for the 2010 US Open, former Weyburn resident and PGA rookie Graham DeLaet was unable to qualify for his first ever US Open tournament.
In the sectional qualifying event for the 2010 US Open, former Weyburn resident and PGA rookie Graham DeLaet was unable to qualify for his first ever US Open tournament.There were 120 golfers who competed in a stroke-play tournament in Columbia, Ohio, for one of 15 qualifying spots to the US Open. DeLaet ended up tied for 24th with a score of 139, short of the top 15 places by two points. Other well-known PGA players Bubba Watson and Rickie Fowler were also at this qualifier and failed to make it.Showing strong during the first round, DeLaet was tied for second place with his score of 66, six-under-par. With the majority of his holes taken at par, DeLaet shot six birdies and took no bogies at the Lakes Golf and Country Club.On a new course at the Brookside Golf and Country Club for round two, DeLaet had difficulties with two holes on the back nine. He bogeyed hole 10, but then quickly balanced that out by shooting birdies on holes 11, 13 and 14. There was another difficulty for DeLaet at hole 17, with a triple-bogey cutting down his score to 37, one-over-par for the back nine.On the front nine of the Brookside course, DeLaet shot two birdies and two bogies, to end the round at 73, one-over-par. It was his total score of five-under-par that ranked DeLaet higher than either Watson or Fowler.Previously on the PGA Tour, DeLaet had been one shot short of making the cut at the Memorial Tournament, with his two-round total at +2.He struggled in round one, starting even on the front nine, but then took two bogies and one birdie. The back nine offered more challenges, as he scored three bogies and only one birdie. His total score for the round was 75, three-over-par.Starting on the back nine for round two, DeLaet had a strong start, with two birdies on holes 11 and 12. He had one bogey on hole 14, but then scored low with two more birdies on holes 15 and 16. DeLaet started the front nine with two birdies, then struggled on holes 3 and 4 with two bogies. His score dropped on hole seven with a bogey and then a double bogey on hole eight. Even with a birdie on hole nine, DeLaet was only able to score 71, one-under-par.Next on the PGA tour for DeLaet will be the St. Jude Classic, which runs in Memphis, Tenn., from June 10 to 13. The week after will be the US Open Championships, held June 17 to 20 at Pebble Beach, Calif.DeLaet is half-way through the PGA Tour season. He has competed in 14 events so far in his rookie year, making the cut six times. His best finish was tying for third at the Shell Houston Open, held in April.Currently sitting at 92nd on the FedEx Cup, DeLaet is ranking as the fourth-top golfer in regards to driving distance on the Tour. In 44 rounds, his driving distance average is 301.8 yards.
