Goldstein Leads Open Qualifiers at Paiute Sun Mountain (video)

At the Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort Sun Mountain course, Joshua Goldstein shot 4-under 68 and was low medalist at the 2021 U.S. Open local qualifier and advanced to sectional qualifying. –By Brian Hurlburt, Las Vegas Golf Insider.

Alex Bungert, Thomas Lim, Van Thomas, Rob Hamblin, Avery Lazarski, Matt Snyder and Spencer Wallace each shot 3-under 69 and advanced to a playoff to determine the additional three qualifiers and two alternates. Advancing with Goldstein were Bungert, Lim and Thomas. The first alternate was Hamblin and second alternate was Lazarski.

“There’s a ton of amazing golfers out here,” said Goldstein, a former SNGA Southern Nevada Amateur champion who also qualified for the 2017 U.S. Amateur. “I recognize the names from when I was playing professionally with them and all the really good amateurs in the area. And we’re all out here grinding every year and to have the really good round that makes it through. Yeah, it’s super special.”

Lim hit his approach on the third playoff hole to about one inch from the hole to advance for the first time past the Open qualifying.

“There’s a lot of tension,” Lim said. “There’s seven people for three spots. I think first of all, everyone made par it’s like an old couple of guys dropped off and then third hole was a 190 yard, par three. I had seven, nine to about an inch. So it was nice not to have to do any work on the green.”

The U.S. Open is scheduled for June 17-20 at Torrey Pines in La Jolla, Calif. Sectional qualifiers begin a couple weeks prior to that. Goldstein is already looking ahead to his shot at the big U.S. Open dream.

“Just lot of practice, definitely going to get out there early,” said Goldstein. “I have to wait to see what site I get. I’m going to go out there early, play the practice rounds. It’s a case of just trying to learn the course as quickly as possible once you get out there and just hope your game travels with you.”

U.S. Open Local Qualifying

Las Vegas Paiute Golf Resort
Sun Mountain, Par 72
* Advanced to sectional via playoff
** First Alternate
*** Second Alternate

Joshua Goldstein              68
Alex Bungert                      69*
Thomas Lim                        69*
Van Thomas                       69*
Rob Hamblin                      69**
Avery Lazarski                    69***
Matt Snyder                       69
Spencer Wallace               69
Brandon Bauman             70
Zane Thomas                     70
Kendel Hodges                  70
Norman Xiong                   70
Hayden Christensen       71
John Young Kim                71
Skyler Ngo                           71
Daniel Northington         71
John Heckel, Jr.                 72
Bohyun Lim                         72
Matt Nolasco                     72