Canadian Garrett Rank Medals, Minnesotans Johnson and Barnes also Qualify for U.S. Amateur Championship

By Nick Hunter
nhunter@mngolf.org


  BECKER, Minn. – As if Garrett Rank’s July schedule wasn’t already busy enough, the Canadian posted a 6-under par 138 Monday at Pebble Creek Golf Club to earn medalist honors and qualify for the 2015 U.S. Amateur Championship.

Rank is coming off a five-stroke victory at the Ontario Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship June 25th and on his way to a Mackenzie Tour Event (PGA Tour Canada) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, decided to make a detour to try and qualify for his ninth USGA event.

He fired a 4-under par 68 to open the qualifier before shooting 2-under par 70 during the final round Monday to earn a spot along with Troy Johnson, who finished second at 140, and Shane Barnes, who finished third at 141.

“I had a strong summer last year and I feel like I’m building in the right direction,” Rank said. “I’ve got a couple big weeks coming up and I feel good and pretty confident.

"I came here to qualify—I’ve played four of the last five [U.S. Amateur Championships] and lost in the Round of 32 last year and was playing really well, so I feel like I have some unfinished business.”

Rank opened with a bogey on the first hole during the first round but would make an eagle and two birdies with another bogey over the front nine to make the turn at 2-under.

A bogey at the 12th dropped Rank back to 1-under, but he would rattle off three birdies over the final five holes to card a 68.

“I killed the par-5s this morning, I had an eagle and three birdies,” Rank said of his opening round Monday. “I had a couple of little mistakes that caused some bogeys, but it was a good solid round. I drove the ball good and hit a lot of solid shots.”

During the second round Monday, Rank opened with another bogey but carded three birdies on the front nine to turn at 6-under for the day. With one bogey and another birdie over the final nine holes, Rank would shoot 2-under for the round and finish with medalist honors at 138.

“I wanted to stay aggressive and not change anything,” Rank said of his goal for the final round. “I didn’t want to worry about where I stood and I played really well again. I hit two shanks that cost me a little, but aside from that, it was a good day.”

Rank, a native of Elmira, Ontario, has been one of Canada’s best amateur golfers in recent years and his resume is extensive.

He won the Toronto Star Amateur Championship in 2011 before winning a national championship at the University of Waterloo in Ontario.

Rank finished as runner-up at the 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, narrowly missing an invitation to play in the Masters Tournament.

In 2013 he was medalist at the U.S. Public Links Championship before losing in the Round of 64. He had second-place finishes at both the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur as well as the Ontario Men’s Amateur.

Aside from playing in South America and Australia in 2014, Rank made it to the Round of 16 at the U.S. Public Links Championship and to the Round of 32 at the U.S. Amateur.

A victory at the Canadian Men’s Mid-Amateur Championship last year earned Rank an exemption into his first PGA Tour event, the RBC Canadian Open, which will be played July 23-26 at Glen Abbey Golf Club in Oakville, Ontario.

After qualifying Monday, Rank will travel to Winnipeg to compete in the Players Cup before representing Canada at the Pan Am Games starting July 16th.

When he isn’t traveling the globe playing golf, Rank keeps busy during the winter as a referee in the National Hockey League.

He spent most of his time this year officiating games in the American Hockey League, most recently during the Calder Cup Finals, but called nine games in the NHL this past season.

Troy Johnson fired a 1-under par 71 during the opening round Monday and followed it up with a 3-under par 69 to finish second at 141 to make his first U.S. Amateur appearance.

“It was pouring during the first 18 holes and it was one of those rounds I knew I had to grind out and play conservatively, shoot a decent score and hopefully play a better round in the afternoon if the weather settled down,” Johnson said.

“I putted really well but it was a good ball-striking day too,” Johnson said after the second round Monday. “I was really looking forward to this—I’ve tried to qualify many times but I haven’t made it. Playing in the [U.S. Amateur] has been my goal this year, especially the last couple of weeks. I’ve been hitting the ball well and felt like I was playing well but just not scoring so I’m really happy to make it through.”

Johnson, Maple Grove, Minn., made the turn during the opening round at even par and rolled in one birdie over the final nine holes to shoot 71.

During the second round Monday, Johnson again went even on the front before a bogey on his tenth hole put him at even par for the day.

With eight holes to play Johnson turned to his putter, one of his biggest assets, and rolled in four birdies to shoot a final-round 69, qualifying with a 4-under par 140.

Barnes, Bloomington, Minn., earned the final qualifying spot Monday after beginning the day with an even par 72.

Teeing off on the 10th hole during the final round, Barnes rolled in a single birdie on his front nine to turn at 1-under for the round before making bogey at the first to slip back to even par.

Barnes quickly regained momentum with an eagle at the second and followed it with a birdie at the third to jump to 3-under.

Adding another birdie on the eighth hole, Barnes would finish the day with a round of 69 to qualify for his first USGA event, finishing third at 141.

“I started out a bit rough and didn’t get off to the best start but I was able to hang in there and then I birdied seven and nine, which was big because it got me to 1-under,” Barnes said. “I went out of bounds on 13 and proceeded to birdie 14 and 18, which was a huge finish.”

“I was trying not to make any mistakes,” Barnes said of his mindset during the second round. “At [even par] I knew I was still in it, but I figured I needed something under par to get in. I putted really well—I’ve been struggling lately and missing some short putts. Today I didn’t miss anything inside of 10 feet.”

A former professional who just regained his amateur status two years ago, Barnes makes his first appearance at the U.S. Amateur in his first attempt at qualifying since 1999.

“This gives me a little confidence—I’ve been working pretty hard and I’ve been doing a lot of stuff off the golf course, in terms of getting in better physical shape. I haven’t played 36 holes in three or four years so it was good to finish strong like I did on the back nine and hopefully I can carry some good things from there.”

The 115th U.S. Amateur Championship will be played August 17-23 at Olympia Fields Country Club in Olympia Fields, Ill.

Jesse Polk, Lakeville, Minn., and Kyle Moore, St. Paul, Minn., finished as first and second alternates, respectively.


For complete qualifying results go to: www.ghintpp.com/mngolf/TPPOnlineScoring/ResultsStroke.aspx?id=1083