LAS VEGAS, Nev. (Aug. 8, 2017)–You want pressure on the golf course? Well, here it is: Play one round of golf for one available spot in the 2017 U.S. Senior Amateur. That’s the task that Frank Acker faced in winning the Southern Nevada qualifier held Aug. 7, 2017, at Arroyo Golf Club. Acker fired a bogey-free 5-under-par 67 to win by three strokes and earn his way into the prestigious event. His longtime golfing partner and friend Brady Exber had already earned his spot. — By Bill Bowman.
The U.S. Senior Amateur will be held Aug. 26-31 at The Minikahda Club in Minneapolis, Minn.
“I’ve never played in the U.S. Senior Amateur before,” Acker said. “I’ve missed qualifying by one shot a couple of times so this is great.”
Acker is thrilled to be able to join Exber in the national tournament.
“Brady is in there already so I’m sure we’ll have a great time,” Acker said. “I’m getting ready to send him a text now.”
Earlier this year, Exber was inducted into the National Senior Amateur Hall of Fame.
Acker said this qualifying event was definitely special.
“Everything went right,” Acker said. “I just tried to keep it smooth and hit it well.”
It also didn’t hurt that he putted extremely well.
“I had four birdies in a row on the back nine, 13, 14, 15 and 16,” he said. “And I left it on the lip on 17. The putt on 13 was about 40 feet but the others were about 10-to-12 feet.”
This qualifier is circled early on Acker’s calendar every year.
“This is the biggest event of the year for me,” he said. “This is more important to me than anything.”
And his expectations now that he’s in the U.S. Senior Amateur? That’s easy. “I’m going there to win it,” he said.
Fellow Las Vegas Golf Hall of Famer Doug Pool is the first alternate after shooting a two-under-par 70. The second alternate is Ed White, who fired a one-under-par 71.
“I was ahead of Frank but then he made those four birdies in a row and that was it,” Pool said. “I’ve made it in (to the tournament) as an alternate before. We’ll just have to wait and see if I get the chance again.”
