Naples golf pro wins U.S. Open local qualifier at Vineyards County Club
Vineyards Country Club hosted a U.S. Open Local Qualifying event on Monday, May 11, with 5 moving to the final stage of the 126th annual tournament.
A little local knowledge served local golf pro Michael Welch well in a U. S. Open local qualifying tournament on Monday, May 11.
Welch, the lead instructor at Kensington Golf and Country Club, went down the street to Vineyards Country Club and shot a 6-under par 66 to win medalist honors at the local Open qualifier, beating out a field of 74 players and moving just a step away from a spot in the U. S. Open next month.
After his only bogey of the day at No. 8, Welch went on to post five birdies on the second nine on the 6,955-yard par-72 layout. Welch had a total of seven birdies on the day.
Carter Page and Seth Smith finished tied for second at 67, each just a stroke behind. Nicholas Prieto and Oscar Crowe came in fourth and fifth, respectively. The top five move on to the next stage.