MISSOULA – Nick Mandell finished with a bang at the Ranch Club, and he still didn’t think it was enough.
“Thinking, Nick you probably have to birdie the last few holes to even have a chance at a playoff,” the Kennewick, Washington golfer told himself as he entered the final stretch of a U.S. Amateur Qualifying Tournament. “I birdied 16. Made a bad mistake on 17 but still made par. And then I birdied 18. But I was thinking, ‘OK, maybe I could get a first alternate with that.'”
It turns out the final birdie gave him much more. Mandell finished the 36-hole, one-day marathon at eight-under par, one stroke ahead of Billings native and San Diego State golfer Joey Moore.
Mandell opened with a five-under 67 but was only one-under through the first 15 holes of the second round. The last two birdies raised the former Washington State golfer to a height he had never before reached.
“I’ve won a college event and I had a pretty good junior career,” said Mandell. “But this is by far the best thing I’ve ever done because one, it’s a USGA event. Two, it’s the biggest amateur tournament in the world. I mean, just the fact that I have a chance to compete for that is so special. 12 years playing competitive golf, it just means the world to me to do this. This is by far the happiest I’ve ever been receiving a medal or any kind of trophy. No trophy could top this.”
Mandell will now get to play in the U.S. Amateur Championship in Pinehurst, North Carolina in August. Moore will serve as the first alternate. University of Utah sophomore and Salt Lake City native Oscar Maxfield earned the second alternate spot at six-under par, after he finished 68-70. Duke golfer Qi Wen Wong also finished at six-under par.
Last year’s first alternate at the Ranch Club qualifier, and the reigning Montana Men’s State Amateur champion Ryggs Johnston of Libby, had to withdraw due to an injury after a first round 74. The Montana Men’s Am starts in Great Falls this Thursday.
U.S. Open Qualifying Tournament at the Ranch Club
Final Results
Nick Mandell 67 69 136
Joey Moore 70 67 137
Oscar Maxfield 68 70 138
Qi Wen Wong 70 68 138
Joey Lovell 67 72 139
Payton Taylor 70 70 140
Max Sekulic 67 73 140
Chandler McDowell 73 69 142
Matthew Ruel 71 72 143
Carter Lewis 72 71 143
Josh Berze 69 75 144
Liam Clancy 75 69 144
Daniel Horner 75 69 144
Alan Larson 72 74 146
Sean Ramsbacher 78 69 147
Riley Lawrence 76 71 147
Spencer Reed 74 74 148
Carter Graf 70 79 149
Chris Goldan 72 78 150
Jesse Henderson 75 75 150
Hotae Kim 77 74 151
Nick Obie 74 77 151
William Englander 77 75 152
Owen Murray 74 79 153
Justin Nagy 78 76 154
Garrett Woodin 79 76 155
Joseph Potkoniak 79 76 155
Finn O’Kelly 79 76 155
Jack Johnston 76 80 156
Colter Morton 78 80 158
