Penn State’s Ryan Dornes wins medalist honors in U.S. Open local qualifying
Dornes, who just finished his senior season with the Nittany Lions, finished with a flourish, sinking birdie putts on each of his final four holes to lead all qualifiers with a 3-under-par 68.
Through his frustration during his local U.S. Open qualifying round Monday at rain-soaked Makefield Highlands, Ryan Dornes knew there would be some birdie chances on which he could capitalize down the stretch.
He was so right. Dornes, who just completed his senior season at Penn State, birdied his last four holes for a 3-under-par 68 and earned medalist honors. He led a group of five contestants, all amateurs, who advanced to sectional qualifying for next month’s Open at Pebble Beach.
Dornes, 22, of Lancaster, struggled a bit throughout his round with yardages. Range finders, which are permitted in college and other amateur competitions, are not allowed in Open qualifiers and most of his early approach shots were coming up short.
“I knew I was hitting it well all day and the putter felt good,” he said. “I just missed a few yardages and kind of tried to tighten those up. I made three bogeys in the middle of the round, but since I knew I was hitting it real well, I just started hitting yardages and it all started to play out for me.”
Dornes’ birdie binge started at his 15th hole, the sixth at the Yardley layout, with a 15-foot putt. After a 5-footer for another bird at the par-5 seventh, he drained a pair of 30-foot putts for birdies at the eighth and ninth.
“Not having a range finder when you’ve been using it for so long kind of gets to you a little bit,” he said. “But I had a great finish. I knew I could get some birdies coming in and I ended up birdying my last four, so I’m really happy with that.”
Carey Bina, 23 of Villanova, rode a hot front nine to come in with a 70, while Chris Ault, 32, of Yardley, and Zachary Barbin, 20, of Elkton, Md., each shot a 71. Reigning Philadelphia Amateur champion Jeremy Wall of Brielle, N.J., captured the final berth in the sectional qualifier in a five-way playoff for contestants who carded a 72.
Bina, a member at Radnor Valley Country Club, rebounded from a 4-putt double bogey at the third hole with five birdies on the next six holes, including a pair of 20-foot putts at the sixth and seventh. That gave him a 4-under 32, enough of a cushion to survive three back-nine bogeys.
“It was an interesting day,” said Bina, who gives himself a 90 percent chance of turning pro in the fall. “I enjoyed it. I can’t be mad. I can always take away something. The ball wasn’t rolling out much in the fairway and a lot of long irons in today so I was really happy with the way I played on the front.”
The qualifiers:
Ryan Dornes, Lancaster 34-34--68
Carey Bina, Villanova 32-38--70
Chris Ault, Yardley 37-34--71
Zachary Barbin, Elkton, Md. 36-35--71
x-Jeremy Wall, Brielle, N.J. 37-35--72
Alternates
x-Nathan Bazant, Lawrenceville, N.J. 36-36--72
x-Mark Miller, Philadelphia 36-36--72
x-Earned spot in playoff