When Safety Harbor's Rick Kerper tees it up Wednesday morning in the U.S. Open qualifier at Innisbrook's Copperhead course, he'll be playing in a threesome with Dan Stone, a touring pro from St. Petersburg.
Kerper, who plays to a zero handicap at Countryside Country Club, said he is looking forward to playing with Stone again. They also paired up at the New Year's Invitational at St. Petersburg Country Club when Stone was an amateur in the early 1990s.
"There's a certain degree of familiarity which helps some," said Kerper, 46, "but basically I have to play my own game. I've played with Paul Azinger and Gary Koch, PGA Tour veterans, so playing with pros is not a new experience for me."
In playing about 21 local U.S. Open qualifiers through the years, Kerper has advanced to the sectional stage four times.
Kerper is coming off his biggest career win at Tampa's Palma Ceia Country Club. In February, he won the 49th annual Gasparilla Invitational, shooting a final-round 69 to make a three-way playoff. He won it with par on the second playoff hole. Stone, a two-time all-American at the University of Florida, has been playing on the Hooters and Golden Bear tours while working toward qualifying for the PGA Tour.
Wednesday's local qualifier is one of 100 across the country. About 8,700 golfers are trying to advance to the field of 156 for the 104th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Country Club in Southampton, N.Y., June17-20. The Open was first held there in 1896.
The course record (8-under 63) at the Copperhead is held by the PGA Tour's K.J. Choi, which he shot en route to winning the 2002 Tampa Bay Classic.
QUALIFIER NOTES: Stone and Kerper will tee off at 9:10 a.m. on the 10th hole. PGA Tour veteran Bob Heintz of Palm Harbor is scheduled to tee off on No.1 at the same time.
Spectators are welcome, according to Innisbrook's head professional Brock Nicholas, but they first should call 727 942-5220 to make arrangements to get past a manned entrance gate or to find starting times for everyone in the field. More qualifier details can be found at www.fsga.org
The Pinellas entries also include: Danny Allen, Mike Barbosa, Kyle Brylow, Jeff Cochran, John Crum, Dalan Farren, James Fitzpatrick, Harley Hjerpe, John Lindner, Patrick Olive, Ken Palladino, Joe Paolini, Kent Rhodes, Sam Rosati, Matt Saglio, Paul Sylvester, Brendan Tackacs, Mike Touhey and Brett Weeks.
WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP: Plant City's Jackie Currier won the April26-27 West Coast Women's title. After shooting rounds of 73-75 to earn a playoff spot with defending champion Kathy Hunt of Lutz, Currier birdied the first playoff hole to win it at Laurel Oak Country Club in Sarasota.
Mary Ehlers of Belleair had the best 36-hole score of Pinellas players - 161 - to win Flight B. In Flight A, Cathy Moss of the Vinoy finished fourth with 163, followed by East Lake Woodlands' Vickie Stafford (164) and Jan Redmond (165).
CHARITY TOURNAMENT: Last weekend's Matthew Hall Memorial tournament at East Bay Golf Club produced a tie after 18 holes but a winner after a match of scorecards.
Seminole's David Hall, cousin of the late Matthew Hall, was on a scramble team with Jeff Lawrence, Larry Judd and Jerry Frank that shot 12-under 59. The tie was broken based on the teams' score on the No.1 handicapped hole. Hall's team birdied; the other team didn't.
"We barely got into the playoff by virtue of an eagle on the par-5 18th," Hall said. "Larry crushed a 290-yard drive, Jeff hit his 3-wood onto the green from 235 (yards) and sank the 4-footer."
Hall said his father, Sam, the tournament director, went all out trying to ensure everyone had a good time and went home with an award. The tournament raised $15,800 for five charities, an increase from last year's $6,000. Locally, the Eight O'Clock Dinner Theatre of Largo is a beneficiary.
Members of the winning women's team were Karen Perkins, Karen McClure, Jackie Spath and Juliette Gridley. They had 69. The senior winners, with 62, were Bryan Zalenga, John Guzik, Gus Driellos and Doug Callender.
Seminole's Chaz Heinz, a 12-year-old with a 13 handicap, received a special award as the junior medalist. His team finished fourth.
JUNIORS: Brittany Jones, a senior at East Lake High, won the girls' 15-19 division of last month's Plantation Tour event in Sunbury, Ohio. Her rounds of 85-88 held up for the title and trophy. Jones will enroll at Youngstown State Ohio in August and play golf on scholarship. Preston Knox of Dunedin is No.1 in the boys 12-14 rankings of the Florida Junior Golf Association. Complete rankings for boys and girls and schedules are listed at www.fjga.com
MEN'S INTERCLUB: Cypress Run hosts the May match on Thursday at 1 p.m.
