8-birdie day gives Coloradans Ryan Burke and Tyler Bishop 67 at Chambers Bay in U.S. Amateur Four-Ball
By Gary Baines – 5/22/2021
Early next month, Ryan Burke of Longmont will have the opportunity of a lifetime by competing in the second and final stage of qualifying for the U.S. Open.
Whatever awaits during that final qualifying tournament, Burke joined his partner Tyler Bishop of Frederick in making their USGA championship debuts on Saturday in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. And a solid debut it was, though they will need another good score in Sunday’s final round of stroke play in order to make the match-play field.
Burke and Bishop had the best opening-round score of the local teams competing in the Four-Ball southwest of Tacoma, Wash. They shot a better-ball 5-under-par 67 at Chambers Bay, host of the 2015 U.S. Open. Their eight-birdie, three-bogey day left them tied for 30th place in the 128-team event.
They’ll need to stay in the top 32 to advance to match play, which starts on Monday. The two will play Sunday’s second round at The Home Course.
Meanwhile, Glenn Walls of Castle Rock and teammate Braden Gaal of Waukee, Iowa opened with a 3-under-par 69 at Chambers Bay. They were a bogey-free 4 under through 17 holes, but bogeyed the par-5 18th.
Sean Crowley of Columbine Valley, who qualified this week for the U.S. Senior Open, and partner Aaron Irving of Golden carded a 2-under-par 69 at The Home Course. The two, who landed a spot in the field after coming off the alternate list, made four birdies and two bogeys on the day.
University of Denver golfer John Sand and teammate Brandon Peterson likewise posted a 2-under 69 at The Home Course — in their case after a three-birdie, one-bogey day.
Here are the scores for all the players with strong Colorado connections (CB indicates Chambers Bay; HC indicates Home Course):
30. Tyler Bishop, Frederick, and Ryan Burke, Longmont 67 (-5, CB)
56. Glenn Walls, Castle Rock, and Braden Gaal, Waukee, Iowa 69 (-3, CB)
71. Sean Crowley, Columbine Valley, and Aaron Irving, Golden, 69 (-2, HC)
71. DU golfer John Sand, Hoquiam, Wash., and Brandon Peterson, Ocean Shores, Wash. 69 (-2, HC)
For all the scores from the Four-Ball, CLICK HERE.