JU's Alexandre Vandermoten jumps out early, holds on to win U.S. Open local qualifier
Jacksonville University junior Alexandre Vandermoten has carried over a solid spring with the Dolphins to successfully complete the first step in getting into the U.S. Open field at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., on June 16-19.
The native of Baillergues, France, survived bogeys on his last two holes Monday at the Plantation at Ponte Vedra and at 3-under-par 69 won a U.S. Open local qualifier by two shots over four players tied at 1-under 71.
Joining Vandermoten in advancing to a 36-hole Open sectional on June 6 are Ponte Vedra High School junior Stefan Ink, Georgia Southern senior Mason Williams of Bridgeport, W. Va., University of North Florida graduate Jared Garcia and mini-tour professional John Felitto of Mountainside, N.J.
Best of the bunch: North Florida's Nick Gabrelcik, JU's Alexandre Vandermoten, tied for the lead in Sea Best Invitational
Dru Love, a former Alabama player and the son of two-time Players champion Davis Love III, bogeyed his last hole to fall into a tie with Davis Lee of Ponte Vedra, a UNF junior at even-par. Love won a playoff to earn first alternate and Lee is the second alternate.
Lee was 3-over through 11 holes but birdied No. 4 and eagled No. 5 to give himself a chance.
Vandermoten is the second active First Coast college player to be the medalist for a local U.S. Open qualifier. Nick Gabrelcik of UNF won last year and is exempt from local qualifying by reaching the semifinals of the U.S. Amateur last year.
Vandermoten, who began his round at No 10, birdied his first two holes and rallied from a bogey at the 12th with birdies at Nos. 15 and 18 to turn at 3-under.
He gave himself a cushion with birdies at Nos. 6 and 7 before his two closing bogeys.
Vandermoten tied for seventh two weeks ago at the ASUN Championship, his third top-10 of the season. His best finish was a tie for fourth at JU’s Sea Best Invitational, at the TPC Sawgrass Dye’s Valley.
He led JU with a 71.17 scoring average was voted second-team All-ASUN.
Williams, who also began at No. 10, was 5-under through 10 holes after an eagle at No. 1 but qualified despite bogeys on four of his next seven.
Ink and Garcia both weathered double-bogeys to qualify. Ink doubled the 12th hole but rebounded with birdies at Nos. 13 and 18 and Garcia came back from a double at the 15th hole to birdie Nos 17, 18 and 3. He played his last 12 holes bogey-free.
This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: JU's Alexandre Vandermoten jumps out early, holds on to win U.S. Open local qualifier
