Illinois amateur takes last spot at U.S. Open
The big kid from tiny Williamsville High School is going Big Apple big-time.
Kyle Peterman sank a 7-foot birdie putt on the second sudden-death hole at Stonewall Orchard Golf Club on Tuesday morning to beat two others and secure a spot in next week's U.S. Open at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, NY, which is located just outside of New York City.
It'll be the first trip ever to New York for the 21-year-old Peterman, who'll be entering his senior year at Western Illinois University in the fall.
"First-time experience going out there and going to the U.S. Open, I'm just going to enjoy it," the personable, 6-foot-3, burly Peterman said with a smile as large as his frame and personality. "It's unbelievable - 21 years old and playing in the U.S. Open. That's ridiculous."
It will be big news in Williamsville, the tiny Illinois town just north of Springfield on I-55.
Peterman, former University of Illinois player Patrick Nagle and Northwestern freshman Eric Chun each carded a 36-hole total of 2-under-par 142 in Monday's sectional qualifier at Stonewall Orchard in Grayslake. The three golfers teed off at 8 a.m. Tuesday in a sudden-death playoff. After each parred the par-4 first hole, they headed to hole No. 2.
Peterman hit 3-wood off the tee on the 425-yard par 4. He then stuck his 9-iron approach to 7 feet.
After Nagle and Chun just missed long birdie attempts, Peterman calmly rolled in his putt to earn a U.S. Open berth.
"You don't get a chance like that every day to have a 7-footer to get in (the U.S. Open)," Peterman said. "You just think back to all the putts you've made and just go from there. You're nervous, but you just got to trust your stroke - you've been doing it for a while. It felt great."
Both of his parents were in attendance, with his dad, Terry, on his bag. An uncle and a couple of family friends were also there supporting him.
"I can't even explain it right now," said Peterman, who finished third in the IHSA Class A state meet as a Williamsville senior in 2004. "For my family, my friends, it's unbelievable."