Former Gopher Persons Among Four Advancing From U.S. Open Local Qualifying

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By Nick Hunter
nick@mngolf.org
 
 
  MEDINA, Minn. – Posting a 2-under par 70 Monday at Medina Golf and Country Club, former University of Minnesota golfer Josh Persons and professional Jay Jurecic earned a share of medalist honors, advancing to the second stage of qualifying for the 2021 U.S. Open.
 
Persons and Jurecic will move on to sectional qualifying along with professionals Jack Hiemenz, who posted an even par 72, and Zach Sklebar, who finished with a 1-over 73, to move one step closer to the national championship, which will be played June 17-20 at Torrey Pines Golf Course near San Diego.
 
A week after current Gophers Lincoln Johnson and Connor Glynn, and former Minnesota golfer Thomas Longbella advanced from local qualifying at Legends Club, Persons continued the Minnesota trend Monday, looking to return to the U.S. Open after advancing to the 2015 championship at Chambers Bay.
 
“It was a lot of fun and it was amazing to see the set up and how they do everything,” Persons said of appearing in his first major championship six years ago in University Place, Wash. “It’s a massive production and it’s really cool.
 
“I realize the odds are not in my favor, but it’s the pinnacle of golf. You can’t get any more nervous, but it’s not my livelihood anymore, so it would be a fun experience to share with family and friends.”
 
Persons, a native of Fargo, N.D., began his round with a bogey at the second hole Monday before two-putting for birdie at the par-5 fifth to draw even. A bogey at the par-3 eighth would put Persons at 1-over heading to his final nine holes, but he got a boost when his 5-iron at the 11^th stopped five feet from the cup, where he’d sink his eagle chance to move to 1-under.  
 
Nearly chipping in for eagle at the 15^th, Persons tapped in for birdie and would finish the day in a tie for the lead with a round of 2-under 70.
 
“It was a little shaky to start, but I made two really good shots on 11 and that kind of turned my day around,” Persons said. “I’ve been playing well, I was just hoping to show up and give myself a chance.”
 
Turning professional upon graduating from Minnesota in 2007, Persons would go on to make eight cuts in 19 Web.com starts over the next nine seasons, notching a pair of top-25 finishes along the way. His biggest professional victory came in 2014 when he won the Bayview Place Island Savings Open on the PGA Tour Canada, earning a paycheck of $27,000.
 
A year later, Persons competed in his first major championship where he posted a 79 during the opening round at Chambers Bay before bouncing back to shoot 75 during the second round, missing the cut by 14 strokes.
 
Persons, who now works in commercial insurance in Fargo, N.D., regained his amateur status in 2018 and wasted little time returning to the national stage by advancing to the U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst the following season.
 
“I’ve done almost everything when it comes to professional golf,” the 37-year-old said. “I never made it to full-status on the PGA Tour, but I worked my way up to [the Web.com Tour]. I didn’t play very well, had some injuries and backed out of that. I’m a working man now—just your average country club guy.”
 
Posting one of the most consistent rounds during a cool and breezy day Monday, Jurecic heated up quickly by sinking back-to-back birdies at the second and third holes, cruising to his back nine at 2-under.
 
Sinking a 10-footer for birdie at the 11th, Jurecic moved to 3-under, but would take a step back with a bogey at the par-3 13th, finishing his day with consecutive pars to earn co-medalist honors by posting a 2-under 70.
 
“It’s the first round of the year for me, so I thought I played well,” Jurecic said. “I drove it well, hit it well and hit a lot of greens today. I was trying to stay focused. The process is primary—trying to trust it and stay patient all day. I didn’t go at many pins because the course was setup pretty tough.”
 
A 50-year-old from Caspian, Mich., Jurecic said he hopes to build on the hours he put into his game during the offseason and build on his moment to qualify for PGA Tour Champion events this summer.
 
“I worked hard this winter and it’s nice to see it pay off," he said. "I’ve been working hard on the mental game and the belief that I can get it done."
 
Getting off to a slow start with three bogeys and one birdie during his opening nine Monday, Hiemenz quickly found his footing on the back nine, carding five consecutive birdies to move to 3-under for the round.
 
He would bogey the 16 and take a double-bogey at the par-4 18^th to place third, shooting even par 72 to punch his ticket to sectional qualifying.
 
Sklebar, a native of Fargo, N.D., carded a birdie and two bogeys during his opening nine Monday to turn in 1-over before rolling in a pair of birdies against two bogeys to post a 1-over par 73 to earn the final qualifying spot.
 
Chris Meyer, a professional from Dallas, Texas, and professional Dave Schultz, from Mapleton, N.D., finished as first and second alternates, respectively. Each posted rounds of 2-over par 74.