The Back Nine - Hot Topics in Golf - Brought to you by RF Meeh Heating and Cooling

Golf's Hot Topics - Brought to you by RF Meeh Heating and Cooling

Updated: Thu 6/7/2012 7:07 am

9th East Side Amateur This Weekend

Many of the area's top amateur golfers will be making their way across the Mississippi to compete in the annual East Side Amateur at Belk Park Golf Course. This marks the 9th playing of the East Side Amateur where Phil Caravia will be looking to defend his 2011 title.

102 golfers are in the field competing for coveted Player of the Year Points as allocated by the Metropolitan Amateur Golf Association. The top 16 in the end of year points earn the chance to compete in next season's Match Play Championship hosted at Old Warson Country Club.

Eighteen of the 50 and over crowd will compete for Senior Points as well as the East Side title. Why mention a senior when the field is littered with top young amateurs? Well, it's because it was a 52-year old in Andy Frost who captured the Normandie Amateur a few weeks ago against a similar field.

Follow all the action this weekend HERE, including scores and Round 1 Groups and Starting Times.

66 Compete For 3 at Aberdeen Golf Club

Sixty-six golfers will play Aberdeen Golf Club June 11-12 for the opportunity to participate in the USGA's US Amateur Public Links Championship. This championship is designated for golfers who are strictly public golfers, having no affiliation or memberships through private clubs. These 66 golfers will play for three (3) spots in the national championship which will be played July 9-14 at Soldier Hollow Golf Club in Midway, UT. This will be the first USGA championship conducted by the USGA in Utah. View the Round 1 Starting Times and Pairings - HERE.

Scott Langley Headed Back to U.S. Open

Scott Langley, 23, of Manchester, Mo., is going to his second U.S. Open and his first as a professional, thanks to a hot second-round 66 in the 36-hole sectional qualifier on Monday at Black Diamond Ranch. Langley’s 66, combined with an opening 73, gained him medalist honors at 139, five under par on the 6,965-yard Quarry Course.

He is joined by Samuel Osborne, 30, of England, who shot 71-70—141 and Brookes Koepka, 22, of Tallahassee, Fla., whose 72-70—142 landed him in a playoff for the third spot. Koepka birdied the par-5 18th hole to edge 14-year-old sensation Andy Zhang of the People’s Republic of China of the third spot.

Zhang was named the first alternate from the Florida sectional qualifying site. If, by chance, he gets into the championship at Olympic, he will be the youngest contestant in the 112-year history of the U.S. Open.

Langley played in the 2010 U.S. Open when he was 19 years old and finished as low amateur. In warm, breezy conditions Monday, Langley began his second round on the 10th hole and recorded the first of eight birdies against two bogeys for a 6-under-par round. He earned medalist honors and will make a long-anticipated trip to San Francisco.

“I can’t wait,” Langley said. “Two and a half years ago I walked the first seven holes at Olympic. It’s an amazing course.”

Jace Long, Shawn Jasper, Brad Nurski Have Good Showing, But Miss Out on U.S. Open

In what was tagged by Golf Channel as "The Longest Day in Golf", several players with local St. Louis or Missouri roots had near misses in parleying a very long day into a trip to this year's U.S. Open. Jace Long, University of Missouri Standout, joined Mizzou Alum, Shawn Jasper and Missouri Golf Association Champion, Brad Nurski in Chicago at U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying. Each player posted a first round 2-under par, 70. Jace Long was able to match his first round score, while Jasper finished his second round at 71 and Nurski at 72. View the complete scoreboard - HERE. Thomas Pieters of University of Illinois, who captured the NCAA Individual Title last week, finished as the 1st alternate out of the Chicago Sectional site. He'll have an outside chance of competing in this year's U.S. Open just as fellow Illini NCAA Champion, Scott Langley did the year he won the NCAA title.