Hollister resident Mitch Thomas shot a 72 on Monday at the 2007
Wal-Mart First Tee Open Qualifier at San Juan Oaks Golf Club, but
fell just short of punching his ticket to Pebble Beach.
San Juan Bautista – Hollister resident Mitch Thomas shot a 72 on Monday at the 2007 Wal-Mart First Tee Open Qualifier at San Juan Oaks Golf Club, but fell just short of punching his ticket to Pebble Beach.
Thomas shot a 37 on the front nine and a 35 on the back nine Monday, and wound up tied for 22nd place out of 47 competitors at the Northern California PGA event. Only the top seven advanced to the Wal-Mart First Tee Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links on Aug. 30 to Sept. 2.
“Bottom line, I didn’t hit the ball close enough to the hole to give myself enough birdie attempts,” said Thomas, whose 72 was par for the course.
Thomas had a bogey on the first hole, a birdie on the 13th, and made par for the remaining holes.
Frank Apodaca of San Jose had the best score, shooting a 6-under 66 (35-31). Others who are Pebble Beach-bound include Kirk Hanefeld (67), Bruce Vaughan (67), James Mason (68), Michael Goodes (68), Reed Hughes (69) and James Blair (69).
“I didn’t play as well as I would have liked, obviously,” said Thomas, who ended up just three strokes from making the cut.
Monday’s qualifier included approximately 45 exempt Champions Tour members, as well as five competitors who competed in the pre-qualifier on Aug. 23 at the Paradise Valley Golf Course in Fairfield.
Thomas was one of those five who qualified in Fairfield after he shot a 71, placing him fourth out of 36 competitors.
At San Juan Oaks, which delivered calm winds Monday, Thomas said the greens were “fast and undulating,” but in excellent condition, nonetheless. Additionally, the Champions Tour qualifier was played on a combination of black and blue tee boxes, the black tees being the furthest back.
While Thomas said he’s played San Juan Oaks many times, he’s only played the black tees once.
“But it doesn’t matter. I didn’t get it done, the way I look at it,” he said. “But it was fun … It’s an advantage [having played the course before], but you still have to get the job done, and I didn’t.”
Thomas will play next at the 88th Northern California Open, scheduled for Saddle Creek Resort in Copperopolis on Sept. 17-19. He’ll also play in the Northern California Senior Open on Sept. 24-25 at the golf course at Diablo Grande Winery and Resort in Patterson. In November, Thomas will be in Portugal for the European Senior Tour qualifier.
Thomas said the course at San Juan Oaks was in fantastic shape and the greens were excellent.
“These one-day jobs, you play well that day and you’re in. You don’t play well, you’re out,” Thomas said. “I played OK, just not well enough.”
