North Carolina State University Athletics
Pettersson qualifies for the U.S. Open at Pinehurst
6/7/2005 12:00:00 AM | Men's Golf
June 6, 2005
BY TIM PEELER
RALEIGH -- Former NC State All-America golfer Carl Pettersson will join his friend Tim Clark at the US Open in Pinehurst next week.
Pettersson, a native of Sweden who won four tournaments during his two-year career at NC State, earned his first trip to the Open by shooting a score of 136 over 36 holes in a sectional qualifying event in Columbus, Ohio. He claimed one of 20 spots that were up for grabs among 144 players at that site.
Pettersson, in his third year as a regular on the PGA Tour, has won $172, 244 in 16 tournaments this season.
There could be other players with NC State ties joining Clark and Pettersson on the famed Donald Ross-designed Pinehurst No. 2 course. Current Wolfpack player Andrew Byrd of Henderson, NC, and three former players - David Sanchez, Justin Walters and Jason Moon - have each completed at least 18 holes of their sectional qualifying rounds at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md. But that 36-hole qualifier, which has 22 Open spots for the 156 players in that field, was halted because of inclement weather Monday afternoon.
All four of them will resume play Tuesday at 8:30 a.m.
Clark did not have to go through local or sectional qualifying for the Open because he finished tied for 13th in last year's Open at Shinnecock Hills and he is ranked in the Top 50 of the World Rankings. Clark, in his fourth year as a regular on the PGA Tour, has already won one national championship this year - the South African Airways Open in his home country in January. He has also won $991,000 in 13 PGA Tour events.
Throughout next week, Clark and Pettersson will be providing their insights and experiences at the Open with GoPack.com with daily diaries. Check back throughout the week of the tournament to find out how each is playing and what they are up to in Pinehurst.
You may contact Tim Peeler at tim_peeler@ncsu.edu.
