By Bob Sutton
Special to The Alamance News
Nick Mathews of Mebane wasn’t one of the seven qualifiers for the U.S. Open based on Monday’s final qualifying event that consisted of 36 holes at Duke University Golf Club in Durham.
Matthews, who has played collegiately for North Carolina State, shot rounds of 71 and 69 for an even-par 140 – the second-best score among amateurs at the site. The cutoff to advance to this month’s U.S. Open in Pennsylvania was 138.
Zach Bauchou of Forest, Virginia, had the top score at the Duke site at 135 (71, 64). Former major champion Webb Simpson secured the second and final alternate position for the U.S. Open with 138.
Mathews, who tied for 16th place among 79 entrants at the qualifier, finished ahead of several notable past PGA Tour winners Bill Haas (141), Nick Watley (143), Chesson Hadley (no score after first-round 73) and former Tour regular Harold Varner III (145).
