Slide show

Coming up aces A look at golf’s hot stars, on and off the course more photos

/

updated 3:10 a.m. ET June 6, 2006

COLUMBUS, Ohio - A 16-year-old girl didn’t make the U.S. Open. A 52-year-old man did.

On a day when Michelle Wie failed to make history as the first woman to play in the U.S. Open, Jay Haas was among 21 players who qualified in the pro-laden Ohio sectional qualifier Monday, his fourth crack in as many decades at storied Winged Foot.

Haas, who won the Senior PGA Championship two weeks ago, first played Winged Foot in the 1974 U.S. Open as an amateur. He returned for the ’84 U.S. Open and the ’97 PGA Championship, and had to endure a 36-hole qualifier at Lakes and Brookside golf clubs.

“It’s pretty darned hard,” said Haas, who will be playing in his 27th U.S. Open. “They’ve added some length and the rough is really high. I’m sure it’ll be playing pretty difficult. I wouldn’t think that there would be too many good rounds this year.”

Ian Poulter of England and Canadian tour player Benjamin Hayes were medalists Monday at 13-under 131. The Columbus qualifier offered the most spots because of the large number of PGA Tour players who stuck around after the Memorial. Others who earned spots Woody Austin, Bo Van Pelt, Jeff Sluman and tour rookies J.B. Holmes and Camilo Villegas.

Brett Wetterich and Zach Johnson, who tied for second at the Memorial on Sunday, both failed to qualify.

Jason Gore, the “Prince of Pinehurst,” will be AWOL at Winged Foot. Gore was in the final group at last year’s U.S. Open until he shot 84 in the final round, falling well out of the top 15 to earn an exemption back. He failed to make it through qualifying Monday.

There were 11 qualifying sites Monday, including one in England, followed by three on Tuesday that will set the 156-man field for the U.S. Open, which starts June 15 at Winged Foot.

In Houston, Tom Kite failed in his bid to join Haas as the only players to play a U.S. Open at Winged Foot in three decades. Kite shot a 139, leaving him three strokes behind Ryan Baca and Ryan Posey, who earned the two Open spots on the line in Texas.

Slideshow   The Week in Sports Pictures A kayaker flips out, a racehorse eyes the Triple Crown and more. more photos

Kevin Tway also failed to qualify in Houston, just as his father Bob came up short in Columbus.

In Rockville, Md., Tommy Armour III shot rounds of 68-67 at Woodmond Country Club to claim one of four spots. Also qualifying was Joey Sindelar, Chad Collins and David Berganio, Jr. Among those who failed were Carlos Franco and Notah Begay.

In St. Charles, Ill., Steve Stricker and Jason Allred played their way to the U.S. Open.

Michael Derminio, Taylor Wood, Alex Coe and Patrick Nagle qualified in Daly City, Calif.

Dustin White earned the one spot being handed out in Littleton, Colo., Jonathan Moore qualified in Creswell, Ore., and Tadd Fujikawa qualified in Koloa, Hawaii.