5-for-1 playoff highlights U.S. Open local qualifier in Sioux Falls
May 1—SIOUX FALLS — A five-for-one playoff highlighted the challenging field on hand for South Dakota's U.S. Open golf tournament qualifier on Monday at The Country Club of Sioux Falls during an 82-player opening-round event.
The sudden death playoff stretched over three holes before Bradenton, Florida's Rylee Reinertson, a former golfer at the University of Oklahoma, birdied the third playoff hole to earn the final qualifying spot of five available on Monday. The 27-year-old Reinertson, a native of Gibbon, Nebraska, turned pro in 2018 and has played on minitours around the country.
Nick Voke, of Ames, Iowa, won medalist honors with a bogey-free 4-under-67 in Monday's event on the par-71 course.
Voke, the 28-year-old native of New Zealand and Iowa State graduate who has 67 career starts on the Korn Ferry Tour, was even-par at the turn off the front nine before playing the back nine in 32, with birdies on the par-5 11th and 15th holes, along with a birdie at the par-4 14th and at the par-3 17th hole.
Andrew Farrand, an associate golf professional at Moccasin Creek Country Club in Aberdeen and former Aberdeen Central golfer, shot a round of 2-under-69 to advance to final qualifying. Farrand's effort was lifted by an eagle at the par-4 14th hole to pair with birdies at the 10th and 11th hole.
Also advancing was a pair of Dakotas Tour legends in Andre Metzger, of Scottsdale, Arizona; and Chris Gilman, of Yorba Linda, California. Metzger, 41, who played in the Phoenix Open earlier this year after winning a Monday qualifier, finished with three birdies over his final eight holes to finish with a 70, and Gilman, age 36, shot 34 over the final nine holes to card his 1-under round.
Current University of Oklahoma golfer Luke Kluver, a native of of Norfolk, Nebraska, nearly sealed up the final advancing slot with a birdie at the 16th hole but fell into the playoff with a bogey at the 18th, finishing his round at 1-under-71.
In addition to Kluver and Reinertson, other participants in the playoff included Corey Matthey, the former NAIA national champion in 2021 from Morningside University who now lives in Scottsdale, Arizona; high school senior and University of Iowa commit Maxwell Tjoa, of Cedar Falls, Iowa; and professional golfer Wes Buntenbach, of Clarion, Iowa.
Matthey was eliminated on the first playoff hole after a bogey, and Tjoa was knocked out on playoff hole No. 2 after a bogey. Reinertson's birdie advanced him, while Kluver's par on the third playoff hole made him first alternate and Buntenbach took the second alternate position after a bogey on the hole.
Mitchell High School girls golf coach Jeff Meyerink was among the golfers to narrowly miss out on the playoff. Meyerink was 1-under-par after the front nine and came to the final few holes needing a birdie to reach the playoff but closed with a bogey at No. 17 and a double-bogey at the 18th hole. He finished tied for 16th place with a 3-over-par 74.
Around 10,000 participants traditionally attempt to qualify for the U.S. Open, which requires players to have a handicap index of 1.4 or better. A total of 109 sites host local qualifying in 44 states around the country and Canada through May 22. Players advancing from local qualifying will compete in a single, 36-hole final qualifying event known as "Golf's Longest Day," which a top finish will advance them to the 123rd U.S. Open in mid-June at Los Angeles Country Club.
