John Ellis shot back-to-back even rounds of 72 and failed to advance in Monday’s U.S. Open sectional qualifier at Lake Merced and TPC Harding Park golf clubs.
Ellis, a Live Oak graduate, tied for 42nd at 144 and was six strokes away from possibly qualifying for the Open, which begins June 14 at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. The top seven scorers advanced.
Ellis started the day on the 10th hole of the 6,845-yard Lake Merced course in Daly City. He birdied the par-4 16th but bogeyed the 12th and 18th, falling to 1-over at the turn. The 32-year-old bogeyed the second and fifth as well but finished strong with an eagle on the par-5, 503-yard No. 6 and a birdie on the ninth.
Ellis resumed play at 12:48 p.m. at the 7,062-yard Harding Park course in San Francisco. He birdied the par-5 fourth, ninth and 10th holes to climb to minus-2 for the round but cooled off through the final eight holes.
Ellis was trying to make his third U.S. Open and fourth PGA Tour event. He was coming off a solid performance in a May 7 local qualifier at Serrano Country Club in El Dorado Hills, where he earned top honors at 7-under-par 65.
Those who advanced Monday included medalist James Hahn (136) of San Bruno, amateur Beau Hossler (137) of Mission Viejo, Alex Cejka (137) of Las Vegas, Scott Smith (137) of Fallon, Nev., Michael Allen (137) of Scottsdale, Ariz., Matthew Bettencourt (138) of Duncan, S.C., and amateur Alberto Sanchez (138) of Nogales, Ariz.
