May 17, 2011
EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern senior David Lipsky (La Canada, Calif./La Canada) and incoming freshman Bennett Lavin (Deerfield, Ill./Deerfield) have advanced to the sectional qualifying stage for the 2011 U.S. Open Championship at Congressional during recent local qualifying tournaments.
Lavin advanced to sectional qualifying after finishing fourth in a local qualifying tournament May 9 at Orchard Valley Country Club in Aurora, Ill., while Lipsky moved on with a third-place finish May 16 at Oak Grove Golf Course in Harvard, Ill.
Lavin shot a 73 (37-36) to place fourth in the field of 89 entries, earning one of Orchard Valley's six spots in the June 6 St. Charles Country Club sectional qualifying tournament. Lavin, one of two amateurs to move on from the site, was one shot ahead of a three-way playoff for the final two entries.
Lipsky carded a 72 (37-35) to tie for third in a field of 78 at his local site, picking up one of Oak Grove's six spots in the June 6 sectional qualifier at Brookside Golf and Country Club and The Lake Golf and Country Club in Columbus, Ohio. Lipsky is one of three amateurs to advance from Oak Grove.
Junior Eric Chun (Ansung City, South Korea/International Christian School) also played in the Orchard Valley qualifier, recovering from a front-nine 41 to shoot 35 on the back and place 10th overall. His total of 76 was two shots shy of the playoff. Senior Ravi Patel (Naperville, Ill./Neuqua Valley) fired a 77 (40-37) to come in 17th.
At the Oak Grove site, senior Josh Dupont (Poway, Calif./Cathedral Catholic) tied for 14th overall with a 74 (37-37), one shot out of a massive eight-way playoff for the final qualifying position.
Lavin, who will be a freshman for Northwestern in the fall of 2011, impressed NU head coach Pat Goss at the 2010 Illinois Open, where he was paired with Chun in the final round. Lavin fired a 66 that day to place third overall and one stroke away from low amateur status.
Lipsky advanced out of local U.S. Open qualifying for the second-straight year with an even-par 72. He moved on from the Water's Edge Golf Club site in Worth, Ill., in 2010 with the same score.
In addition to the current Wildcats, alumni including Jess Daley (2000), Scott Harrington (2003) and Dillon Dougherty (2006) also advanced through their respective local qualifying sites to sectional tournaments.
Still with NCAA golf to be played in 2011, Lipsky and the Wildcats compete in the Colorado Regional of the NCAA Championships May 19-21 at Colorado National Golf Club in Erie, Colo.
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