GARY BAINES: Taking Notes

Jobe Posts His Best Finish in a U.S. Open

But former Coloradan just misses exemption into 2009 Open

      The U.S. Open in San Diego wasn’t an unqualified success for Brandt Jobe, but in some ways it seems the Marine Layer is starting to lift for the Colorado Golf Hall of Famer.
     Jobe, who lived in Colorado from 1970 to 1999, finished 18th at the Open, which was a victory of sorts. Let’s count the ways:
     -- It was Jobe’s best finish on the PGA Tour since September 2006.
     -- Jobe posted the best showing of his life in 11 U.S. Open starts.
     -- He recorded his top finish in a major championship since 1999, and his third-best overall. Only the Masters (14th place) and PGA Championship (16th) -- both in ‘99 -- were better.
     “I’m headed in the right direction,” Jobe said after Sunday’s final round. “Compared to where I was, this week was a heyday.”
     Jobe, 42, has battled wrist and hand problems for the last five years. That includes the freak injury he sustained in November 2006 while sweeping out his garage in the Dallas area. The handle of a broom broke and Jobe’s left index finger and the base of his left thumb were severed, with surgery needed to reattach them.
     Jobe played in only five Tour events last year and is competing this year on a Major Medical Extension. He has 23 events to earn $774,164 and keep his playing privileges for the remainder of the year. The $87,230 Jobe won Sunday nearly doubled his 2008 earnings, to $177,114 in 11 tournaments.
     Jobe needed to go through qualifying just to get into the U.S. Open field. The only bad news for him from Torrey Pines was that he barely missed automatically earning a spot into the 2009 U.S. Open. The low 15 finishers and ties from this year’s tournament are exempt next June at Bethpage Black. Jobe needed to shave just one stroke off his score at Torrey Pines to earn his 2009 exemption.
     A regular on the PGA Tour since September 1999, Jobe has yet to win in 249 career starts. He’s finished second three times, with his best chance at victory coming at the 2005 International in Castle Rock. Playing at the Castle Pines course where he once owned a home, Jobe held a nine-point Stableford lead going into the final round. But by shooting a 4-over-par 76 for the final 18, he finished one point behind champion Retief Goosen.
     It’s been a roller-coaster ride since then, but things are definitely on the upswing after this U.S. Open.

Monday, June 16, 2008

FIVE SPOTS UP FOR GRABS AT U.S. PUBLINKS QUALIFYING: With much attention focused on the U.S. Senior Open in Colorado Springs July 31-Aug. 3, it should be kept in mind that Colorado will host another USGA event before the Senior Open. The U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship will take place July 14-19 at Murphy Creek Golf Course in Aurora. And, in a mini-preview of that event, Murphy Creek will host the sectional qualifying for the national tournament June 23-24. A total of 140 players will compete for five spots in the U.S. Publinks. Among those in the field are Derek Tolan, who qualified for the 2002 U.S. Open as a 16-year-old, and University of Colorado teammate Pat Grady, who in his amateur career has won the State Stroke Play, State Match Play and State Publinks.

SUMMERHAYS WINS IN DURANGO: Utah pro Boyd Summerhays overcame Durango’s Ken Carpenter in a two-hole playoff Sunday to win the three-day Navajo Trail Open at Hillcrest Golf Course in Durango. Summerhays picked up $4,500 for his victory.

QUOTABLE: Denver-based journalist Rick Reilly, who just started working for ESPN after a long career at Sports Illustrated, on the chances of Rocco Mediate beating Tiger Woods in the 18-hole U.S. Open playoff Monday: “It would be Buster Douglas over Tyson, the Titanic over the iceberg, the Falkland Islands over England.”
Woods did indeed prevail Monday, but it took 19 holes.

EVER SO CLOSE: Wyndham Clark of Greenwood Village lost in a two-hole playoff to Christopher Ingham of Pinecrest, Fla., in the AJGA Junior All-Star tournament in Aspen earlier this month. Both players finished three rounds at even-par 216. Michael Schoolcraft of Englewood (fifth), Brendan Connolly of Castle Rock (seventh) and David Oraee of Greeley (eighth) also cracked the top 10. Allie Johnston of Castle Rock (ninth) was the only Colorado girl to finish in the top 10. Regina Alonso of Mexico won the girls event by 10 strokes.

GOLF NOTES