Phillips, Ryan Advance in Senior Open Qualifier at Bellerive
Professional Alan Phillips, from Jefferson City, Mo., fired a 2-over 72 to share medalist honors at the U.S. Senior Open qualifying at Bellerive Monday. Amateur Dave Ryan of Taylorville, Ill., also fired a 2-over 72 to earn the final qualifying spot for the 28th U.S. Senior Open, July 5-8 at Whistling Straits Golf Club in Kohler, Wis.
Phillips, who turned 50 in April, managed to overcome a triple bogey 7 at Bellerive’s 480-yard par-4 fourth hole by posting birdies at Nos. 3, 5 and 7.
Ryan, finishing up moments before thunderstorms interrupted play in the afternoon, made a 20-foot putt to save par at his final hole, the par-4 ninth, to shoot 72 and bump out Chesterfield’s Don Bliss.
Bliss, a Norwood Hills member, posted three front-nine birdies in his round of 73, but a double bogey at No. 18 ruined his opportunity to advance. Bliss earned the first alternate spot while Little Rock’s Greg Shaw shot 75 to earn the second alternate.
Former St. Louis area professionals Frank Conner and Jerry Tucker each shot 6-over 76.
It was one of Bellerive’s first tests in competition and the new Rees Jones-design and course setup certainly challenged the top seniors in the region.