Super 65 earns Phelan US Open spot

IT is the stuff of sporting fairytale. Yesterday Waterford teenager Kevin Phelan secured a place alongside the world’s greatest golfers by qualifying for next week’s US Open in spectacular fashion.

Born in New York, where his father played professional squash, Phelan moved to Ireland with his family aged three. They returned to the US earlier this decade where Phelan has developed into a teenage golf phenomenon.

Now 19, the University of North Florida freshman, came through a tough qualifying campaign which culminated with an incredible finish at McArthur Golf Club in Hobe Sound. He shot a 65 for his second round to tie Tour professional Gary Woodland for first place in a sectional qualifier in the early hours of Tuesday morning Irish time. Both players posted six-under 138 over two rounds with Phelan rebounding from a first round 73 – eagling the final hole by sensationally holing out from the sand from well off the green. Had Phelan shot a par on the final hole, he would have been the first alternate.

Phelan, who played high school golf at Nease and was the player of the year on the Florida Junior Tour in 2009, has never been to California. His first trip will be to play at the storied Pebble Beach course where he will be in the same field with Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, Tom Watson and Vijay Singh, among others.

“It still hasn’t sunk in yet,” Phelan said shortly after the round. “It might at some point. It feels pretty good to just have tied for first in the sectional.”

Phelan shot 73 in the first round with a triple bogey on the final hole after hitting his tee shot into a water hazard, and was six shots behind Woodland. He shot 2 under on the back nine at McArthur, his front, and then when he was on the fourth tee, the field was called in because of approaching storms. When he returned, Phelan birdied 4 and 6, then worked his magic at the ninth. “It was a perfect shot,” Phelan said of the eagle, which came out of wet sand and to a pin 20 paces away.

Scott Schroeder, his golf coach at the University of North Florida, never underestimated his star pupil. “I’ve stopped being surprised by Kevin,” he said.

In other Open sectionals, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo shot 71 in the first round at the Club at Carlton Woods, but withdrew after making a quadruple-bogey on his first hole in the second round.