Glen Ellyn golfer Andy Pope set to play in his third U.S. Open
ERIN, Wis. - There will be only one player with Chicago connections in the 117th U.S. Open that tees off at Erin Hills on Thursday - Andy Pope, who survived the sectional qualifying.
Pope, 33, grew up in Glen Ellyn and attended Glenbard West High School before heading to Xavier for college. He developed his game at Medinah Country Club, which may explain why Pope has had success in U.S. Open eliminations, though he hasn't made it as a touring professional yet.
Medinah's No. 3 course has hosted three U.S. Opens, two PGA Championships and, more recently, the 2012 Ryder Cup matches. It's more demanding than most tour courses.
Pope hasn't been able to maintain playing status on even the Web.com Tour. He tried to get a sponsor's invitation to last week's Rust-Oleum Championship at Ivanhoe Club, but was unsuccessful. He made the field, though, after tying for 17th in the previous week's stop in Raleigh, N.C., because the top 25 in each tournament are automatically eligible for the next week's event.
Pope, though, couldn't keep up his hot pace, shooting 73-73 and missing the 36-hole cut at Ivanhoe. Despite his challenges on the PGA's satellite tour, however, Pope has qualified for the past three U.S. Opens. He even survived the 36-hole cut in his first one, finishing in a tie for 70th place at Chambers Bay in Washington in 2015. Last year he played the first 36 holes at Oakmont at 11-over par and missed the cut by five strokes.
Erin Hills is Pope's next Open challenge.
"Everyone compares it to Chambers Bay - but more on steroids," said Pope. "I'm really looking forward to playing an Open two hours from Chicago, where I'll have a lot of people who want to come to watch.''
Pope now lives in Orlando, Florida, with his wife and 3-year old son. He practices at Orange Tree, a course next to Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club, which hosts an annual PGA Tour event. Veteran tour players Robert Gamez and Skip Kendall are among Orange Tree's members.
"Orange Tree is the tightest course you'll ever play, and it has the best greens in Orlando," said Pope. "They say that (the late) Payne Stewart would come there to prepare for his U.S. Opens."
Stewart won two of them, as well as the 1989 PGA Championship at Kemper Lakes, before his death in an airplane accident.
Pope can only dream about doing what Stewart did. Despite his success in U.S. Open qualifying, he hasn't played with much consistency since turning pro.
"I had status on the Web.com Tour for five years, but I lost it a year and a half ago," said Pope. "It's been a battle to try to get it back."
He has had his moments, however. Pope's recent run of success started at Orange Tree, which hosted a U.S. Open local qualifier. Pope shot 66 to advance to sectional play. Then he entered the Monday qualifier for the Web.com stop in Raleigh and shot 64 to get into the main event. A 66 in the final round there set him up for the Open sectional in New Jersey the next day, and he shot 4-under in his first 18 on the tougher of the two courses used for that 36-hole elimination. He then coasted to a tie for second to earn another Open berth.
• Twitter @ZiehmLen