Story by Matt Byrne/NAPGT :: Photo by Kyle Coburn/NAPGT
PURCHASE, NY (June 6, 2007) – Four time North American Pro Golf Tour event-winner and 2006 money leader Geoffrey Sisk of Marshfield, MA, captured a victory in the Regional United States Golf Association sectional US Open qualifying round, earning a spot at the 2007 US Open at Oakmont.
Held at the Century Country Club in Purchase, New York, the field held 58 players, ten of which were listed as amateurs, all seeking three places to advance away from the May 4 qualifier.
Sisk, who last year led the NAPGT money list by earning more than $88,000 over eleven events, said his success at Purchase was an up hill battle.
“We had rain, we had a three and half hour delay,” Sisk said. “Sometimes mother nature takes over, there is nothing you can do. It was jut a long day,13 or 14 hours, and waiting a couple more hours to see if I made it or not,” he said.
The field played 36 holes – Sisk posted a first-round two over par 73, with a second-round four under 67 placing him firmly back in contention.
Midway through the second round the rain took over, stalling the qualifiers for more than two hours. Asked if the delay effected Sisk, he said he was relatively unchanged by the idle time.
“To be honest with you, it didn’t affect me,” Sisk said. “I made a couple bad swings, everyone makes some bad swings, but I made some bad swings that cost me. I’m not saying I got away with them but I was able to scramble and make pars off some of the bad shots I hit,” he said.
Sisk’s appearance at the June 11 tournament will be his fifth US Open, qualifying first in 1995 when the eventmoved to Shinnecock Hills, where Sisk missed the cut. Competing next in the 1999 Open Championship held at Pinehurst, Sisk tied for 30th netting him nearly $24,000.
Among the other golfers vying for the three Open spots were Charles Meola, Tim Hegarty, Rob Oppenheim and Kyle Gallo. Oppenheim earned the NAPGT 2006 player of the year award, and is expected to be in contention all summer, tour officials said.
Frank Bensel and Ricky Barnes also both qualified.
