While John Ellis continues to hunt for an elusive PGA Tour card,
he is on his way to becoming a regular in at least one major
tournament. Ellis, a 1998 Live Oak graduate, advanced to this
week’s U.S. Open Championship, shooting a two-round 140 in a June 6
sectional qualifier at Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton, Wash.
Ellis, 31, earned the tournament’s fourth and final invite and will
be in the field for his second U.S. Open starting Thursday at
Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.
MORGAN HILL
While John Ellis continues to hunt for an elusive PGA Tour card, he is on his way to becoming a regular in at least one major tournament.
Ellis, a 1998 Live Oak graduate, advanced to this week’s U.S. Open Championship, shooting a two-round 140 in a June 6 sectional qualifier at Gold Mountain Golf Club in Bremerton, Wash.
Ellis, 31, earned the tournament’s fourth and final invite and will be in the field for his second U.S. Open starting Thursday at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.
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Although the novelty of playing in a PGA event has faded for Ellis, who was in the field at the 2008 Open at Torrey Pines and nearly qualified for the 2007 and 2010 editions at Oakmont, Pa., and Pebble Beach, the Nationwide and Canadian Tour patron isn’t any less eager to compete with the best.
“I am really looking forward to it,” Ellis said Friday from his San Jose home. “Two years ago I was so excited for the experience and to play. This year I feel a little different, but I’m definitely going to enjoy the experience, try to improve, compete and hopefully have a good time.”
Ellis shot 1-over-par 73 in the second round on Gold Mountain’s 7,091-yard Olympic Course but was practically in the clear after an opening-round 67, good for first place in the field of 48. He was 3-under through nine holes and performed as impressively on the back nine, save for a bogey on No. 12.
Ellis, who was coming off a tied-for-14th finish in the Canadian Tour’s Times Colonist Island Savings Open in Victoria, British Columbia, previously played at Gold Mountain as a sophomore at the University of Oregon.
“Everything was working for me all day,” he said. “In a 36-hole qualifier, you have to have everything working. I putted good; I chipped good, drove good. I mean, I did everything pretty well.”
Ellis placed fourth behind Canadian Tour players Wes Heffernan and Adam Hadwin, who tied for second at 139, and winner Chris Williams (138) of the University of Washington. Erick Justesen, another Live Oak alum (class of 2003), tied for sixth with back-to-back 71s, narrowly missing a second straight Open appearance.
What began as a great day for the Ellis family almost became an historical one. Ellis’ brother, Chris, a 29-year-old first-year amateur, also played in a sectional qualifier Monday in Glendale and was even through 12 holes before dropping out because of a pulled back muscle. It is believed Chris and John could have become the first U.S.-born brothers to compete in the Open together.
Chris was midway through his opening round at Oakmont Country Club when he received a text message from Ellis, saying he had shot 67.
“I knew he was going to make it. I definitely wanted to join him, but I wasn’t able to make a complete recovery,” said Chris, who played with Ellis at Live Oak. “It’s a great opportunity for him. It’s a different kind of accomplishment this time around because he knows he can compete at this level, and he does belong there.”
Ellis last played in a PGA Tour event at the Oct. 13-17 Frys.com Open at CordeValle Golf Club. His earnings have spiked recently with five consecutive top-15 finishes in lower-tier events, including a Hawaii Pearl Open victory in February. His Achilles heel remains the PGA Tour’s qualifying school, an extremely competitive series of tournaments where even the most professional golfers in the world can struggle. Some never advance.
“Unless I win (this) week, it’s the same thing; still got to wait until Q-School in October,” Ellis said.
Making the cut Friday would be a big step forward – and a realistic goal considering the Tiger-less wide open field at Congressional. According to Bodog, an online sports book, Lee Westwood and Luke Donald are favorites to win at 10-1 odds, followed by Rory McIlroy and Phil Mickelson at 12-1.
Among the rest: Steve Stricker, 22-1; Dustin Johnson, 25-1; Hunter Mahan, 25-1; K.J. Choi, 25-1; Martin Kaymer, 25-1; Matt Kuchar, 25-1; and defending champion Graeme McDowell, 40-1.
“Making the cut (this week) opens so many doors for John,” said Ellis’ cousin, Don Leone, PGA director of instruction at Coyote Creek Golf Club. “I think he can make the cut. I think he can contend. He’s a good player; he just needs that break.”
Should that come this week, Ellis will have only his parents, Dave and Peggy, from his fan base to witness it. Ellis wants to keep it a “low-key” tournament, showing he has played on this stage before. That might be out of his hands, however, if everything goes according to plan.
“I definitely want to make it out,” Chris said. “Whether I’m there or not, I truly feel this will be a special week.”
