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Marty James Shares the Latest Success of Sacramento Golfers
MARTY JAMES
martyjames.sports activities@gmail.com
It was a giant week for 4 Sacramento-area golfers.
First, there’s Corey Pereira, a resident of Cameron Park, who performed within the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Nation Membership’s North Course. He acquired into the sphere by native and ultimate qualifying.
Subsequent is Chase Sienkiewicz, who tied for eighth place in his skilled debut on the Royal Seaside Victoria Open introduced by Instances Colonist. The PGA Tour Canada occasion was performed at Uplands Golf Membership in Victoria, British Columbia.
Subsequent is Spencer Levin, who tied for 61st place on the Blue Cross & Blue Defend of Kansas Wichita Open Benefitting KU Wichita Pediatrics. The Korn Ferry Tour occasion was performed at Crestview Nation Membership, in Wichita, Kansas.
There’s additionally Sam Harned, who acquired into the sphere as an alternate and tied for 45th place at PGA Tour Canada’s Royal Seaside Victoria Open introduced by Instances Colonist.
Sure, an excellent nice week of golf for gamers with very sturdy ties to Sacramento.
“Very fortunate to have everybody from Sacramento cheering me on,” Pereira stated in a cellphone interview on Sunday, June 18. “The folks at Cameron Park are unbelievable. So grateful to have such a robust golf neighborhood there.”
Corey Pereira
Pereira stated he and his girlfriend, Leah Bertuccelli, acquired a variety of assist throughout the week of the U.S. Open, performed on the par-70, 7,421-yard LACC North Course. Pereira, a former star on the College of Washington, stated it was an emotional week.
After capturing a 1-over-par 71 within the first spherical, he returned and shot a 76 within the second spherical and missed the minimize. Sixty-one professionals and 4 amateurs made the minimize, at 2-over 142. There was a discipline of 137 professionals and 19 amateurs.
“It was a mix of me reaching one thing that I’ve dreamed about since I used to be very, very younger, which was unbelievable. However it was additionally simply possibly a little bit little bit of an finish to a few of the struggles that our household has confronted within the final 6-8 months,” stated Pereira, who performed in his first U.S. Open, additionally the thirty fifth of 44 FedExCup Common Season occasions throughout the 2022-23 PGA Tour season.
Pereira left the Korn Ferry Tour to remain at residence and look after Bertuccelli, who’s getting therapy – each chemotherapy and radiation – for most cancers at Stanford.
“I made the choice final 12 months to not pursue skilled golf that a lot this 12 months, and being with Leah by this time,” stated Pereira, 28, who performs out of Cameron Park Nation Membership.
“Between me shedding my card on Korn Ferry, and extra importantly, only a horrible prognosis, that it’s actually your worst nightmare for somebody you care about. So, issues had been going from dangerous to worse for us. We form of dug our ft within the sand as a pair and as a household and fought by it and proceed to work arduous in all elements of each of our lives.”
The highway to the U.S. Open and Los Angeles Nation Membership took Pereira by native qualifying in Mesquite, Nev., and ultimate qualifying in Columbus, Ohio.
“Leah was displaying some good progress by her remedies and she or he was in a steady place. I signed up so late, that each one the California websites had been taken. And final minute, acquired into Mesquite, Nevada,” he stated.
Taking part in at CasaBlanca Golf Membership on April 26 in Mesquite, Pereira completed third within the native qualifier, capturing 70. There have been 78 gamers for 4 spots.
“I hadn’t performed a aggressive spherical all 12 months and I went there and was 2-over by 9 holes. I form of discovered one thing on the again (9) and barely squeaked by the native qualifying,” he stated.
From there, he superior to The Lakes Golf & Nation Membership and Brookside Golf & Nation Membership, in Columbus, Ohio, for the ultimate qualifying, on June 5. He secured a spot within the U.S. Open, tying for third place, capturing 9-under-par 135 with rounds of 65 (The Lakes Golf & Nation Membership) and 70 (Brookside Golf & Nation Membership). There have been 103 gamers for 11 spots.
“I went on the market and simply actually performed some nice golf that entire day for 36 holes and located myself with one of many U.S. Open spots,” stated Pereira.
“I simply really feel like these are the fruits of each of our labors, of Lea preventing arduous on daily basis and staying optimistic, and myself form of getting again to fundamentals on the golf aspect a little bit bit. So emotional for all these causes, simply to be on the U.S. Open competing.”
This 12 months’s U.S. Open, which had a $20 million purse, was the primary main championship to be held at The Los Angeles Nation Membership. Pereira stated the North Course is an efficient take a look at.
“I had performed three aggressive rounds all 12 months and simply had nowhere close to the preparation that I’d have favored to have going into a serious championship. However I used to be grateful to be there,” he stated. “I went out that first day and I didn’t play that dangerous. I did a variety of issues very well and some issues sloppy. However I used to be pretty proud of that begin to my U.S. Open debut.
“There are scores available, however it will possibly additionally go south actually fast. The tough is actually lengthy and the course is lengthy.
“I really feel like there are some alternatives on the entrance 9, and then you definitely make that flip, into like Gap 11 or so, and once you take a look at it, there’s actually not a birdie gap after that. I don’t assume the course acquired out of hand. I feel it was form of that that excellent combine – the tough was very troublesome and I feel layout-wise, it offers you some room on the entrance 9, and actually hammers you on the again (9).”
The US Golf Affiliation accepted a file 10,187 entries for the 123rd U.S. Open Championship, in accordance with a report at www.usopen.com.
Native 18-hole qualifying was carried out at 109 websites in 44 U.S. states and Canada, the USGA stated. Remaining 36-hole qualifying was held at 10 U.S. and three worldwide websites, the USGA stated.
“The U.S. Open is exclusive in main championship golf in that the qualifying course of gives hundreds {of professional} and beginner golfers with numerous backgrounds from all over the world the chance to observe their dream and earn a spot within the discipline,” USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer stated, in a report, at www.usopen.com.
Pereira is so very appreciative of the assist that he and Leah acquired from followers, USGA and match employees, and the media.
“Everybody has been nice. The entire media shops have been very respectful to our state of affairs that we’re coping with. By way of the assist with everybody else, it’s been actually unbelievable. We’ve had folks come as much as us that we don’t know, this week, and simply say how a lot they’re praying for us and giving us all their love. It’s been loads,” he stated.
“We’re fairly low-key folks. We come from a small city in Northern California, Cameron Park. We’re not round a bunch of individuals or within the highlight a ton. There was loads occurring this week. However all positives. It was only a pleasure to have the assist of everybody round us.”
Pereira, as well as, can’t say sufficient concerning the assist of his household and Leah’s household, together with the care Leah is getting from Stanford.
“Each of our households have been unbelievable, with how they’ve stepped up, and allowed me to arrange for this championship, taking good care of Leah, taking her to appointments, actually giving me the liberty to go do stuff like this and go compete. With out them, I’d not have been in a position to play native and (ultimate) qualifying and even put together for this match. I’m actually, actually grateful for his or her assist in all this,” he stated. “The workforce at Stanford is unbelievable.”
Leah acquired out and walked the course at LACC every day throughout the U.S. Open, following Corey, watching his each shot.
“She walked 18 holes each days at LA Nation Membership – simply wonderful and the way spectacular that’s for anybody who is aware of the extent of that therapy,” stated Pereira. “She’s deep into her therapy. She’s on spherical 11 of 12 of chemo. She has already accomplished seven weeks, 35 rounds of radiation.
“She’s progressing properly. The medical doctors are cautiously optimistic. We’ve seen a discount in her most cancers. So, we’re hoping that on the finish of the therapy, our ultimate scans will end in optimistic information.”
Pereira is trying ahead to going to Korn Ferry Tour Q-College later this 12 months as he seems to be to earn his taking part in standing.
“It’s simply form of climbing that ladder once more,” he stated.
Pereira graduated from Ponderosa Excessive College-Shingle Springs.
He had an excellent collegiate profession at Washington, as he had 4 wins and in addition 11 top-5 and 20 top-10 finishes.
He was named All-American Honorable Point out in 2016 by GolfWeek.
He was chosen first workforce All-Pac-12 in 2015-16 and 2014-15 and second workforce in 2013-14 and 2016-17.
Pereira gained the Pacific Coast Newbie and California State Truthful Males’s Newbie in 2014.
He tied for sixth place on the Pac-12 Championships his senior season.
He was the Twelfth-ranked beginner within the World Newbie Golf Rankings following his junior season, in accordance with gohuskies.com.
Pereira turned skilled in 2017.
He fired a 67 within the ultimate spherical en path to successful the ATB Monetary Basic, a PGA Tour Canada occasion, at Nation Hills Golf Membership in Calgary, Alberta, in 2018. It was his first win as knowledgeable.
Additionally in 2018, Pereira misplaced in a playoff on the Mackenzie Investments Open.
He had one top-10 end on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022.
Pereira gained the Napa Open, a mini-tour occasion, in 2019 at Silverado Resort and Spa. He had rounds of 66 (North Course), 68 (South Course) and 68 (North) for a 14-under 202 whole and a seven-shot win.
Chase Sienkiewicz
Chase Sienkiewicz posted an 11-under-par 269 whole, with rounds of 68, 67, 66 and 68, tying for eighth, at PGA Tour Canada’s Royal Seaside Victoria Open introduced by Instances Colonist, at Uplands Golf Membership, in Victoria, British Columbia.
The 2019 Jesuit Excessive-Carmichael graduate eagled the third gap in Spherical 3.
With a High-20 end within the PGA Tour College rankings throughout the 2022-23 collegiate season, Sienkiewicz earned absolutely exempt membership on PGA Tour Canada for 2023. He additionally earned an exemption to the Second Stage of 2023 PGA Tour Q-College introduced by Korn Ferry, plus conditional standing by the Latin America Swing of the 2024 PGA Tour Americas season, it was introduced in a report at www.pgatour.com in Could.
Sienkiewicz completed No. 19 within the ultimate PGA Tour College Rating.
He was a standout on the College of Arizona
Spencer Levin
Spencer Levin, a resident of Elk Grove who performs out of Valley Hello Nation Membership, accomplished the Blue Cross and Blue Defend of Kansas Wichita Open, at 9-under-par 271. He had rounds of 64, 67, 71 and 69.
“It’s a tremendous 12 months, actually contemplating what Spencer’s completed. Actually, actually joyful for him,” stated Pereira. “I acquired to play some golf with him this 12 months and simply actually excited for him, taking his profession again by the horns and getting again going. He’s a famous person.”
Levin is 16th within the Korn Ferry Tour Factors Listing. The highest 30 earn PGA Tour playing cards at finish of the season.
In April, he gained the Korn Ferry Tour’s Veritex Financial institution Championship, in Arlington, Texas. It’s his first PGA Tour-sanctioned win.
Sam Harned
Harned acquired off to an amazing begin in his PGA Tour Canada debut. He opened with a 6-under 29 on the entrance 9 in his first spherical. He was tied for second place with a 7-under-par 63 within the first spherical. He eagled the par-5, 476-yard Twelfth gap.
“I performed my follow spherical on Tuesday, and I felt like a 20-handicapper. I used to be hitting some actually dangerous pictures on the vary. Then I made a couple of swing changes, and it simply actually labored out for a very easy 13 holes. Then the final seven holes acquired a little bit a sloppy,” Harned stated in a report, offered by PGA Tour Canada Communications.
“After I made the eagle on 12, I knew I shouldn’t be excited about it, however I used to be like, yeah, let’s get three or 4 extra and hope for the great spherical,” stated Harned.
He completed the occasion in a tie for 45th place, at 2-under 278, with rounds of 63, 71, 74 and 70.
PGA Tour Canada Communications stated Harned didn’t study that he had gotten into the sphere as an alternate till Sunday. Harned caught a flight from his residence in Reno, Nevada, touring to Seattle on Monday. From there, he took a ferry Tuesday in time to play his follow spherical, PGA Tour Canada Communications reported.
“I used to be six spots out of the ten (gamers) which might be in, so I simply form of gave up on considering that I used to be going to play,” Harned stated. “I used to be sitting on the sofa on Sunday evening and acquired the decision. (The Tour official) was like, ‘Hey, you’re within the discipline. Are you able to rise up?’ I used to be like, ‘Yeah, give me an hour and I’ll determine it out.’ So, it’s wonderful.”
Harned’s final PGA Tour-affiliated occasion was the ultimate stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Q-College in November 2022, PGA Tour Canada Communications reported. Harned earned Korn Ferry Tour standing by 2023 as an Extra Qualifying Match Finalist. He completed 134th on the Remaining Stage of the Korn Ferry Tour Qualifying Match in 2022.
Harned is a 2015 graduate of Rocklin Excessive. He performed out of Whitney Oaks Golf Membership.
He performed his faculty golf at College of Nevada, Reno.
He now performs out of Somersett Golf and Nation Membership in Reno.
* Marty James is a contract author who makes his residence in Napa. He retired on June 4, 2019, after spending 40 years as a sports activities author, sports activities editor and govt sports activities editor for the Napa Valley Register, a day by day newspaper in Napa County. He’s a 1979 graduate of Sacramento State and a member of the California Golf Writers & Broadcasters Affiliation. He was inducted into the CIF Sac-Joaquin Part Corridor of Fame in 2016.
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