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Sisk, Sokol Earn Spots in U.S. Open at
Shinnecock Hills
Cleveland Golf Tour stars to square off
against world’s best on biggest stage in golf
Summit, NJ-June 7th-
Cleveland Golf Tour member Geoff Sisk, fresh off last week’s victory in
the Cape Cod Open, and fellow tour member Steve Sokol recently qualified
for the U.S. Open. Sokol carded rounds of 69 and 68 while Sisk was one
shot back during the 36 hole qualifying held at the par 71 Canoe Brook
Country Club. More than half the field was comprised of PGA Tour or
Nationwide Players, highlighted by co-medalists David Morland IV and
J.P. Hayes, who finished at 8-under par 134. More than 130 players at
this site were vying for 22 spots in our nation’s most prestigious
championship. In all, 8,726 entries were received by the U.S.G.A., with
only 76 golfers fully exempt from local and sectional qualifying.
Sisk, a 39 year old assistant club pro at Marshfield
Golf Club, has fared well in previous U.S. Open qualifiers and “was
contemplating writing (the USGA) for an exemption (out of local
qualifying) this year.” Sisk never formally asked for an exemption
though and considered himself “fortunate enough to play well.” Last
year, he missed the cut at Olympia Fields. In 1999, he finished tied
for 30th at Pinehurst #2. He also played in the 1995 Open
held at Shinnecock Hills, the venue for this year’s tournament. A
former member of the PGA Tour and Nationwide Tour, Sisk has been the
most dominant player on the Cleveland Golf Tour (formerly the New
England Pro Golf Tour) the past two seasons en route to compiling more
than a half dozen victories and over $80,000 in earnings.
Sokol, a former division 2 national
champion while at Florida Southern, competed on the European Challenge
Tour during the winter and spring, and has had success in tournaments
nationally and abroad including an appearance in the European Tour’s
Qatar Masters in 2003. This is his most impressive accomplishment to
date, however, as the U.S. Open is widely regarded as the preeminent
tournament in all of golf. This summer, the Oxford, CT native will
spend much of his summer playing on The Cleveland Golf Tour as well as
competing in the regions state opens.
The U.S. Open begins the week of June
14 and will be held in Southampton, NY at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
Shinnecock most recently served as the venue for the open in 1986 and
1995.
Sisk and Sokol continue the trend of
Cleveland Golf Tour members qualifying for PGA and Nationwide events.
Some of the more noteworthy include Jeff Seavey’s appearance in the
Deutsche Bank Championship last August as well as several other tour
members, such as Kyle Gallo and William Link IV, who have Monday
qualified for numerous Nationwide and PGA Tour tour stops.
The above quotes are courtesy of The
U.S. Open webpage
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