LaBarge, Lundgren, Berkmeyer, Triefenbach among six U.S. Open local qualifiers

St. Louisan Parker LaBarge used a 3-under par 32 on the back nine to post a 1-under 69 during U.S. Open Qualifying at Persimmon Woods Wednesday. He was one of six qualifiers out of a field of 101 golfers to advance to Sectional round action for the 109^th U.S. Open.

LaBarge, playing the mini-tours following a college career at Rice, battled back from an uneven front-nine 37 by making birdies at the par-5 11^th hole and another at the par-3 12^th. After five consecutive pars, LaBarge birdied the final hole, the 528-yard par-5, to finish at 1-under par.

Fox Run’s Darren Lundgren also advanced with a 1-under par 69, advancing the Sectionals for the second time in his career.

Roommates Andrew Medley and Steven Groover, a pair of Auburn graduates and Hooters Tour professionals from Auburn, Ala., posted rounds of 68 and 70 to lead all finishers in the morning wave of golfers at Persimmon Woods Golf.

Medley posted 34-34-68, playing a nearly flawless round on the 6,860 yard par 70 layout. Medley birdied Persimmon Woods’ 18th hole (his 9th of the day) and the first (his 10th of the day), wrapped by eight pars before and after his two birdes.  Medley hit 10 consecutive greens in regulation before missing from 100 yards on the par 4, second hole.  After getting up and down for par, he found himself in a similar position on the par 3, 3rd hole.  Again, Medley saved par.  He then proceeded to hit the next sx greens in regulation.   

Groover, 23, a Birmingham, Ala. native, opened with eight pars but suffered a near disastrous triple bogey at the par-5 18^th hole. The 23-year-old Auburn graduate rallied on his second nine with birdies at Nos. 1, 6 and 8 to get his round back to even par.

St. Louis amateur Skip Berkmeyer fired a 1-over 71 despite a double bogey at his final hole, the 474-yard par 4 ninth. Berkmeyer birdied the par-5 11^th hole and added another at the par-4 second to secure the fifth spot. He waited anxiously much of the afternoon to see if the 71 would hold up. For Berkmeyer, this marks his fourth trip to Sectional qualifying.

LaBarge, who has played the Hooters Tour for two seasons, will miss this week’s Hooters event in St. Louis to attend his fiance’s law school graduation. But the former Chaminade golfer says life on the mini-tours is like being a part of traveling fraternity.

“You have a few cliques – the Clemson guys, the Georgia guys, the Oklahoma State guys who stick together. But I’d say about 98 percent of the guys out there are great.”

For LaBarge, this year marks his first time advancing to the Sectional round. “I’ve lost in a playoff before, but this is the first time I’ve made it through.”

Tapawingo National head professional Kevin Triefenbach, who fired a 2-over 72, earned the final qualifying spot in a playoff with former University of Wisconsin standout Garrett Jones.