McDONALD, PA (93.7 The Fan) – US Open local qualifying had a West Virginia flavor as five moved on from a field of 84 at Quicksilver Golf Club on Tuesday. Those golfers now advance to the final qualifier before the dream of playing at Oakmont Country Club next month.
West Virginia alum and current Korn Ferry Tour member Mark Goetz was tied with Tim Peters for the low score at three under par. West Virginia freshman and Penn-Trafford alum Nick Turowski tied with Ohioan Randy Dietz at -2 and Erie native Patrick Kelly took the final spot at -1.
Goetz, a Kiski School graduate, said he made a small driver change this year that has really paid off. If he can get through the next qualifying, he would return where he was the medalist of stroke play at the US Amateur. Goetz was -8 after two rounds and qualified for match play at Oakmont Country Club in 2021.
"It means a lot, seriously," Goetz said. "I remember playing the Am there a few years ago and that was a great experience."
"I played well. That was a very memorable week. I feel like it was just yesterday. It would be very special to get back."
Goetz played a role in helping the career of Turowski. Following Goetz to WVU, Turowski said Goetz paved the way for him through junior golf and helped him understand the game. He said he wouldn't be the player he is without Goetz. Now the West Penn Junior Champion and Junior Player of the Year in 2024 is one more qualifier (this one 36 holes) from playing in a major championship.
"Not only the US Open, the US Open at Oakmont," Turowski said. "I've been dreaming about playing in this Open since I watched in 2016. When I watched those guys play, I was like 'oh my God, they are so good'. To think that I could potentially be going to the next step. It feels really good."
Turowski said he hadn't looked at scores all day and came off the 18th green thinking he didn't make it. He's glad he didn't know because he said it helped him continue to press for birdies.
The oldest player in the final five, Dietz will be 46 in June and said he needs a partial knee replacement. Dietz said guys were driving it 60 yards by him, but he was able to work his way around the course. A former Kent State player, Dietz is a teaching pro at a golf center in Ohio and only gets to play on Mondays, as along with work, he has three kids.
Dietz bogeyed 17 and said he knew he needed to do something, birding 18 out of the rough to get to minus two.
This year, there are a record 10,202 entrants for the US Open, 372 from Pennsylvania. The first alternate from Quicksilver on Tuesday is Nick Sorkin, a former Penguins minor leaguer. He won a playoff for that position after finishing even par.
