June 6, 2006
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – Four former University of New Mexico men’s golfers will be playing in the 2006 U.S. Open. Tommy Armour III, Kent Jones and Madalitso Muthiya all qualified, while Tim Herron earned an exemption into the second major of the season. The 2006 U.S. Open will be played at Winged Foot Golf Club West Course in Mamaroneck, N.Y., on June 15-18.
Herron earned an exemption for finishing in the top-30 on the money list in 2005 and is currently in the top-50 point leaders in the world rankings. As of May 30, 75 players were exempt meeting one of the 16 criteria.
Armour III, Jones and Muthiya had to go through first local qualifying and then sectional qualifying to get an invitation to the U.S. Open. Over 7,000 golfers attempted to qualify for the U.S. Open with only 81 making it.
Armour III qualified with a first place finish at the Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md. Armour shot rounds of 68 and 67 to win this sectional. Jones tied for second at the Canoe Brook Country Club North and South courses in Summit, N.J. Jones carded rounds of 66 and 68 to tie for second. Muthiya won the Columbus, Ohio, section played at Double Eagle Golf Course. Muthiya posted rounds of 65 and 69 to win.
Finally former Lobos Ryan Murphy and Spencer Levin are alternates for the 2006 U.S. Open as they just missed qualifying. Murphy was 1-stroke shy at the Lakeside Country Club in Houston, Texas, while Levin fell short in a playoff at the Lake Merced Golf Course in Daly City, Calif.