Lustig eyes U.S. Open

The field of nearly 60 golfers hopeful of qualifying for a chance to play in the U.S. Open was like a "Who's Who" of Pennsylvania's top professional players at Quicksilver Golf Club.

There was Oakmont Country Club pro Bob Ford. There was touring pro Bob Friend. Also in the field were current pros Mike Van Sickle and Robert Rohanna.

But when the last putt was holed on the soggy, 7,100-yard course, only four people qualified for the last step to playing in the U.S. Open — a 36-hole sectional at either Columbus, Ohio, or Rockville, Md., on June 6.

One of them is Belle Vernon Area senior Bo Lustig.

Lustig, 18, shot an even-par 72 through miserable conditions and finished in a three-way tie for the lead with Matt Hoffman and William Miller, college standouts at Illinois and Georgia Tech, respectively.

Getting the fourth spot one stroke back with a 73 was long drive competitor Justin Moose.

Dennis Munko of Leechburg and Pittsburgh's David Brown both shot 74, then survived a sudden-death playoff with Gordon Vietmeier to earn the two alternate spots for the sectional.

Lustig, the 2010 WPIAL golf champion, said the wicked weather conditions did not bother him. In fact, he said, the rain was an ally.

"The rain actually helped me," Lustig said. "I carry the ball a long way and my drives weren't hurt by the rain because of the carry. I probably was driving the ball 300-320 yards out there and was a lot longer than a lot of the other players."

"Other than 18, the casual water wasn't too bad," added Lustig, who shot a 2-under 34 on the front. "This was probably one of my best rounds under these kinds of conditions."

Miller, a senior at Georgia Tech, wasn't as long. But he was steady in getting around the front nine with a 1-under 35 and a 1-over 37 on the inward nine.

"It was a pretty solid round," said Miller, who had four birdies. "The greens didn't affect my putting and my ball striking was solid, but I struggled a little bit with my wedge."

Lustig said he was pleased with his round, noting, "I thought I played great today. I probably left a few strokes out there with putts, but I made a couple long putts to make up for that. I played solid all day."

Lustig, erased many of his mistakes with clutch putts. He rolled in a 15-footer on the 401-yard, par-4 third hole. He followed with 10- and 20-foot birdie putts on 9 and 10 before stumbling with a double-bogey on 11 and a bogey on 12.

"The conditions were rough, especially because I fly most of my tee shots," said Lustig, who will attend Robert Morris. "The ball was plugging even with my 2-iron (off 12). I kept the ball straight all day."

Lustig barely escaped a big number on the 540-yard, par-5 17th when he buried his tee shot in the deep rough. Just as Lustig was prepared to hit three off the tee, a friend spotted his ball.

"They probably should have sent me back to the tee, but my friend found it and that saved me," said Lustig, who finished second in the state championships this past season. "I probably would have made seven or eight if he hadn't found it."

Lustig said he will continue practicing to get ready for the June 6 event. In the meantime, he said he will be playing in one other tournament at Hannastown Country Club before then.

The U.S. Open will be held June 16-19 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.