Rob Labritz (Pound Ridge N.Y.) shot a 2-under-par 68 at Country Club of Fairfield to earn medalist honors at the six-spot U.S. Open local qualifier. Brian Williams (New York) was the only other player under par with a 69.
Six players shot even-par 70, forcing a playoff for four spots. The four who survived the playoff moved onto the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier next month, includes three Westport residents:
Andrew Gai, who graduated from Staples High School last year
Peter Richards, 16, who attends Staples
Cameron Chottiner, 15, who plays at St. Luke's in New Canaan.
The other survivor was Grant Sturgeon (Port Chester, N.Y.). All four golfers will likely play at the sectional June 3 at Old Oaks and Century CC in Purchase, N.Y.
Former Yale University golfer Jeff Hatten, who is playing on the mini-tours, was also in the playoff and almost made a quick exit. He hit his opening drive of the playoff out of bounds. Then he managed to get greenside in the next two shots on the par-5 hole.
Finding out at the green he needed a bogey to move on, Hatten got up and down for the bogey to do just that.
But on the third playoff hole, Hatten missed a 3-footer for par to come up short. He hit 17 greens during his regulation round."I wasn't confident with my putting and didn;t do a good job of handling it. When you are putting well, you get up to it and you know it's going in like it has in the past. Lately I have been struggling with my putting," Hatten said.
Among the other non-qualifiers were: Kyle Gallo (72), a four-time Connecticut Open champion, twice at CC of Fairfield; Evan Beirne, formerly of North Haven (72), former two-time State Amateur champion Tommy McDonagh (72) and Race Brook CC head pro Paul Barnsley (75).