Goldstein-Taylor Sizzle To Victory In USGA Four-Ball Qualifier at Bear’s Best
LAS VEGAS, Nev. (February 10, 2018)—Las Vegans Joshua Goldstein and Wes Taylor teamed up to card a 7-under-par 63 to win the 2018 USGA Four-Ball Qualifier held Feb. 9 at Bear’s Best Golf Club. That suo, along with the second and third place finishers, advanced to the 2018 U.S. Men’s Amateur Four-Ball Championship which will be held May 19-23, 2018 at Jupiter Hills Club at Tesquesta, Fla. — By Bill Bowman, Las Vegas Golf Insider, staff.
The prestigious national event is open to players with a handicap index of 5.4 or lower and the Las Vegas qualifier drew 51 two-man teams. Click here for the complete results.
Joining Taylor and Goldstein in advancing were McCain Schellhardt and Trey Martin along with Brandon Bradosky and Raymond Wooten. Each team came in with 6-under-par 64 totals. Bear’s Best played to a par 70 for the USGA qualifier. The first alternate team is Stephen Brand and Brian Tennyson while the second alternate spot went to J.J Gresco and Jack Trent, representing the UNLV men’s golf team.
For Taylor and Goldstein, two of just 18 players in the field from Las Vegas, it was a round that forced them to stay positive.
“We had a lot of tap-ins for pars and a couple of birdies in the early going,” said Taylor, who plays out of Spanish Trail. “But we had a bogey on the ninth and that wasn’t good.”
After good looks for birdies that didn’t drop early on the back nine, the putts starting falling on 13–and never stopped.
“We birdied 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17,” Taylor said. “And we also had about a six-footer for eagle that just missed on 17.”
Goldstein, who plays out of Anthem, said the birdie on 15 was huge. “That was kind of like stealing a stroke from the field,” he said of the long par-3. “We figured 62 might win it and 63 might be in a playoff so we definitely had a number in mind. But in the early going it didn’t look good but then we just started making birdies.”
This is Goldstein’s second-straight year qualifying for the national event. His partner last year couldn’t make it this year so Taylor stepped in.
“We’ve played a lot together and it worked out well,” Goldstein said.
For Schellhardt (Edmond, Okla.) and Martin (Scottsdale, Ariz.), it was a family affair. Schellhardt, who is Martin’s nephew, said the family ties definitely helped.
“My uncle started me in the game and playing in an event like this makes it that much more special,” Schellhardt said. “We know each other’s golf game and he’s a great putter so that definitely helps.”
Martin said spending time with his nephew on the golf course, and to qualify for nationals, is special.
“We just played solid golf and had fun,” Martin said. “We had just one bogey and it’s because of his consistency. And when you play with quality players like this event has, it makes you step up your game.”
South Carolina’s Bradosky and Wooten said a lightning-quick start fueled a solid round.
“We were four under through five holes and that definitely got us going,” Bradosky said. “Then we went into neutral for a few holes and finished strong (birdies on 17 and 18).”
The 18th hole finish saw Bradosky hit his drive into the rough but then he fired an approach shot to just five feet for the birdie on the tough closing hole.
Wooten was impressed. “Those last two birdies to get us to six-under were huge,” he said. “And that birdie by Brandon on 18 was impressive.”
In the 2017 national event, the title went to Frankie Capan and Shuai Ming Wong, a pair of 17-year-olds. They won the crown with a 2-and-1 victory over Kyle Hudelson and Clark Collier in the tournament played at Pinehurst No. 2.
