News

Long, Pan Lead USGA Public Links After First Qualifying Round at Soldier Hollow

By Michael Trostel, USGA July 9, 2012
Midway, Utah – Jace Long and Cheng-Tsung Pan carded rounds of 4-under 67 to set the pace in the first round of stroke-playing qualifying at the 2012 U.S. Amateur Public Links at Soldier Hollow Golf Course in Midway, Utah.
Long, 22, and Pan, 20, were two of 17 golfers to break par on the par-71, 7,670-yard layout. Compare that to last year when only one golfer, Devon Purser, of Clearfield, Utah, broke par in the first round at Bandon Trails at the Bandon Dunes Resort in Oregon.
Sunny skies and calm winds allowed for ideal scoring conditions on a layout featuring length, elevation changes, slick greens and knee-high rough in some areas.
Starting on the 10th hole, Long was at one under when he blocked his tee shot out of bounds to the right at the par-4 15th hole. He salvaged bogey, then birdied four of his next five holes.
“I hit the ball well yesterday in my practice round and got into a comfort zone on the golf course,” said Long. “I tried to give myself as many opportunities as possible.”
In all, the Dixon, Mo. resident carded a first-round-best eight birdies, getting as low as five under after a chip-in birdie on the 195-yard fifth hole. After a pulled tee shot, Long faced a difficult shot and thought he would need to sink a long putt to save par.
 “I was just dead to the left of the green,” said Long, a rising senior at the University of Missouri. “I short-sided myself, hit a good pitch and it just dropped in. That was huge.”
Playing in the afternoon, Pan, a 2011 U.S. Open qualifier, took just nine strokes to play Soldier Hollow’s four par 3s.
“Overall, I hit a lot of good shots on the par 3s,” said Pan, who birdied the 195-yard fifth, the 233-yard seventh and the 177-yard 12th. “Two of them I put within four feet and the other was about 15 feet away.”
Pan moved to the United States from Chinese Taipei just five years ago, attending high school in Bradenton, Fla. His biggest adjustment was balancing academics and athletics as a freshman at the University of Washington.
“I wanted to do well with both,” said Pan, who won the Azalea Invitational and finished runner-up at the Sahalee Players Championship in 2011. “It was a tough year for me. It gave me a lot of stress, but I practiced putting a lot with my coach to relax and now it’s the best part of my game.”
Perhaps Pan’s 67 shouldn’t be surprising considering he had just played Soldier Hollow earlier this spring in a friendly match against Brighman Young University. He remarked that the course “feels familiar to me.”
James Erkenbeck, who advanced to the round of 16 in last year’s APL, sits one stroke behind the leaders after an opening-round 68. Starting on the 10th hole, the 22-year-old San Diego, Calif. resident made three consecutive birdies on holes 12 to 14 and added a fourth at the par-5 16th to turn in 4-under 31.
While some players struggled with Soldier Hollow’s 5,500-foot altitude, Erkenbeck, a rising senior at the University of New Mexico, found the conditions very similar to Albuquerque.
“I feel very comfortable out here while I see some of the other guys guessing,” said Erkenbeck. “All the things that come with the altitude – it’s not just distance, it’s controlling your trajectory and spin too – it all makes a big difference.”
The 2012 U.S. Amateur Public Links is the first USGA championship held in Utah. One of the state’s best players, 34-year-old Dan Horner, who won the 2008 Utah State Amateur at Soldier Hollow’s Silver Course, opened with a 2-under 69 in the morning wave.
The other three Utah residents in the APL field, Zac Blair (71), J.T. Timmons (74) and Nick Drost (76), played Soldier Hollow on Monday afternoon.
Derek Ernst, the runner-up to Corbin Mills in the 2011 APL at Bandon Dunes, opened with a 1-under 70.
On Tuesday, the golfers will play the second round of stroke-play qualifying at Soldier Hollow. The field will then be cut to the low 64 scorers for match play, which begins Wednesday. The 36-hole championship match is scheduled for Saturday.
The APL is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association.
Michael Trostel is the curator/historian at the USGA Museum. Email him at [email protected]. 
Results 
Midway, Utah – Results from the first round of stroke-play qualifying at the 2012 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship being played at 7,670-yard, par-71 Soldier Hollow Golf Course: 
Jace Long, Dixon, Mo. – 34-33–67 Cheng-Tsung Pan, Chinese Taipei – 35-32–67 James Erkenbeck, San Diego, Calif. – 37-31–68 Dan Horner, Sandy, Utah – 34-35–69 Payne Gniewek, Austin, Texas – 36-33–69 Michael Kim, Del Mar, Calif. – 35-34–69 Kevin Aylwin, New Smyrna Beach, Fla. – 35-34–69 Justin Keiley, Haiku, Hawaii – 35-34–69 Bryson Dechambeau, Clovis, Calif. – 33-36–69 Jordan Wetsch, St. Charles, Ill. – 36-33–69 Tyler Ekenberg, Apple Valley, Minn. – 35-35–70 Xander Schauffele, San Diego, Calif. – 36-34–70 Joel Dahlenburg, Saint Augustine, Fla. – 35-35–70 Anton Arboleda, La Canada, Calif. – 35-35–70 Derek Ernst, Clovis, Calif. – 37-33–70 Brad Schneider, Orlando, Fla. – 35-35–70 Paul McConnell, Garland, Texas – 35-35–70 Chelso Barrett, Keene, N.H. – 35-36–71 Carlos Rodriguez, Colombia – 35-36–71 T. J. Vogel, Miami, Fla. – 36-35–71 Michael Gellerman, Sterling, Kan. – 39-32–71 Chad Johnson, Plymouth, Mich. – 35-36–71 Grant Weaver, Wooster, Ohio – 36-35–71 Manav Shah, Bakersfield, Calif. – 36-35–71 Adam Larkin, North Bellmore, N.Y. – 35-36–71 Korky Kemp, Greensboro, N.C. – 37-34–71 Chris Williams, Moscow, Idaho – 37-34–71 Steven Fox, Hendersonville, Tenn. – 37-34–71 Zecheng Dou, Ppls Rep. of China – 38-33–71 Zachary Blair, Ogden, Utah – 36-35–71 Brett Patterson, McMinnville, Tenn. – 37-34–71 Zach Fullerton, Albuquerque, N.M. – 36-35–71 Benjamin Griffin, Chapel Hill, N.C. – 36-36–72 Chris Davis, Glendora, Calif. – 35-37–72 Ben Geyer, Arbuckle, Calif. – 38-34–72 Eric Busalacchi, Waukesha, Wis. – 36-36–72 Tommy Ponce, Edwardsville, Ill. – 38-34–72 Jack Teal, Excelsior, Minn. – 36-36–72 Casey Fernandez, McAlester, Okla. – 37-35–72 Talor Gooch, Midwest City, Okla. – 37-35–72 Victor Kyatt, Hoover, Ala. – 39-33–72 Andrej Bevins, Elk Grove, Calif. – 36-36–72 Byron Meth, San Diego, Calif. – 35-37–72 Wes Hillen, Columbia, Ill. – 37-35–72 Michael Blair, Canada – 35-37–72 Alex Williams, Seattle, Wash. – 36-36–72 Kirby Pettitt, Carroll, Iowa – 39-33–72 Adam Loran, San Jose, Calif. – 38-35–73 Ty Travis, Eagle, Idaho – 36-37–73 Joseph Alfieri II, Lutz, Fla. – 35-38–73 Michael Schmitmeyer, St Marys, Ohio – 37-36–73 Sam Horsfield, Davenport, Fla. – 37-36–73 Garrett Rank, Canada – 36-37–73 Kory Webb, Knoxville, Tenn. – 36-37–73 Thomas O’Bryan, Aurora, Ill. – 38-35–73 Kyle Beversdorf, Plymouth, Minn. – 37-36–73 Shane Smith, Godfrey, Ill. – 35-38–73 Scott McNeil, Philadelphia, Pa. – 37-36–73 Bryan Lichimo, Canada – 38-35–73 Seth Reeves, Duluth, Ga. – 36-37–73 Cody Robinson, Discovery Bay, Calif. – 35-38–73 Greg Condon, Monte Vista, Colo. – 38-35–73 Ryan Werre, Canada – 37-36–73 Paul Misko, Thousand Oaks, Calif. – 35-38–73 Richard Hattori, Honolulu, Hawaii – 37-36–73 Tyler Klava, Pace, Fla. – 35-38–73 Steve Tarkon, Boise, Idaho – 39-35–74 Cody McManus, Phoenix, Ariz. – 37-37–74 Collin Engelhardt, Orlando, Fla. – 36-38–74 Jacob Knapp, Costa Mesa, Calif. – 37-37–74 Ryan Kuroiwa, Aiea, Hawaii – 37-37–74 Reid Dean, Webberville, Mich. – 38-36–74 Philip Gieseker, Ann Arbor, Mich. – 38-36–74 Joseph Prince, San Diego, Calif. – 37-37–74 Casey Pyne, Bloomington, Ill. – 38-36–74 John Wegmann, Southwest Ranches, Fla. – 36-38–74 Mitchell Rutledge, Creve Coeur, Mo. – 39-35–74 Bryan Ratterman, Louisville, Ky. – 41-33–74 Aaron West, Woodland Hills, Calif. – 38-36–74 J. T. Timmons, Salt Lake City, Utah – 37-37–74 Justin Fraley, Allen, Texas – 36-38–74 Sean Elliott, Bayonne, N.J. – 38-37–75 Matthew Porter, Cortland, N.Y. – 41-34–75 Alex Bungert, Elk Grove, Calif. – 36-39–75 Sepp Straka, Valdosta, Ga. – 39-36–75 Adam Tebbs, Las Vegas, Nev. – 38-37–75 Aaron Moreno, Gilbert, Ariz. – 37-38–75 John Jackopsic, West Hartford, Conn. – 39-36–75 Yi-Hsiu Luo, Chinese Taipei – 37-38–75 Mitchell McLeroy, Mansfield, Texas – 41-34–75 Eric Fitzsimmons, Las Vegas, Nev. – 40-35–75 Joseph Barr, Versailles, Ky. – 41-34–75 Tyler Simpson, Portland, Ore. – 37-38–75 Cheyne Kendall, Deer Park, Texas – 38-37–75 Sam Saunders, Albuquerque, N.M. – 37-38–75 Joel Driver, Oklahoma City, Okla. – 38-37–75 Trent Karlik, Pittsburgh, Pa. – 39-36–75 Herbie Aikens, Pembroke, Mass. – 39-37–76 Kyle Westmoreland, Katy, Texas – 36-40–76 Chase Wilson, Zanesville, Ohio – 37-39–76 Matt Schneider, Grand Rapids, Minn. – 41-35–76 Carter Pool, San Diego, Calif. – 38-38–76 Johnny Ruiz, Camarillo, Calif. – 42-34–76 Greg Werner, Farmington, Minn. – 39-37–76 Alberto Sanchez, Nogales, Ariz. – 35-41–76 Anthony Degol, Hollidaysburg, Pa. – 38-38–76 Nick Drost, Cottonwood Heights, Utah – 38-38–76 Sam Stark, Hartland, Mich. – 41-35–76 Kevin Penner, Las Vegas, Nev. – 40-36–76 Damon Salo, New Ipswich, N.H. – 40-36–76 James Van Fleet, McHenry, Ill. – 37-39–76 Jon Veneziano, Mt Dora, Fla. – 38-39–77 John Moheyer, Baltimore, Md. – 39-38–77 Sangsoo Lee, Ridgefield, N.J. – 40-37–77 Steve Ross, Huntington, W.Va. – 39-38–77 Jack Radley, Sanford, N.C. – 38-39—77 Todd Griffin, Rock Springs, Wyo. – 40-37–77 Jooho Lee, Canada – 41-36–77 Scott Kim, Corvallis, Ore. – 40-37–77 Bo Sarratt, Gentry, Ark. – 39-38–77 Andrew Lawson, Dallas, Texas – 40-37–77 Alex Edfort, Somerset, N.J. – 40-37–77 Kyeton Littel-Kamimoto, Kahului, Hawaii – 39-38–77 Paul Blanche, Anchorage, Alaska – 39-39–78 Ryan Kohler, Alstead, N.H. – 38-40–78 Brodie Williams, Lapel, Ind. – 40-38–78 Brennan Amirkhizi, Newport Beach, Calif. – 41-37–78 Dalen Yamauchi, Hilo, Hawaii – 41-37–78 Daniel Charen, Langhorne, Pa. – 38-40–78 Ben Kern, Algona, Iowa – 38-40–78 Mike Vanier, Lincoln, Neb. – 38-40–78 Aaron Klimchuk, White Plains, N.Y. – 40-39–79 Nick Robles, Crystal Lake, Ill. – 40-39–79 Bob Cavanagh, Perham, Minn. – 41-38–79 Steve Groom, Raytown, Mo. – 38-41–79 Dylan Crowley, Glen Cove, N.Y. – 37-42–79 Chris Waters, Athens, Ga. – 38-42–80 Alexander Chiarella, Pukalani, Hawaii – 41-39–80 Sean Packer, Seattle, Wash. – 42-38–80 Jay Tilton, Cincinnati, Ohio – 39-41–80 Mark Cusic, California, Md. – 44-37–81 Spencer Williams, Great Falls, Mont. – 39-42–81 Cory Sciupider, Etowah, N.C. – 42-39–81 Taisei Negishi, Hilo, Hawaii – 42-39–81 Keith Buntrock, Franklin, Wis. – 42-39–81 Logan Holt, Dublin, Ohio – 41-40–81 Brian Bilodeau, Auburn, Maine – 43-38–81 Kevin Ruby, Temecula, Calif. – 45-37–82 Chris Long, Garretson, S.D. – 41-41–82 Sean Thomas, Arvada, Colo. – 46-37–83 Alex McMahon, Oro Valley, Ariz. – 41-42–83 Jake Miller, Woodbury, Minn. – 43-40–83 Ted Moehrke, Vacaville, Calif. – 43-43–86 Chris Coleman, Dayton, Ohio – 42-44–86 Kevin Boie, Beaverton, Ore. – 46-41–87 Marais Lombard, South Africa – 50-39–89