Conklin Surprises Himself by Earning Medal at U.S. Open Qualifying

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HUDSON -- George Washington Plunkitt was one of the best-known practitioners of what he liked to call "Honest Graft" during his long career as a leading figure of New York's Tammany Hall political machine. He defined Honest Graft as what you do when you have the best interests of your party, your state and yourself as your guiding principle. Dishonest Graft, on the other hand, was what you did if you were interested only in helping yourself (to the money).

But Plunkitt was probably most famous for his succinct response when asked one time about how he had become so successful, both politically and financially.

"I seen my chances," he replied, "and I took 'em."

When you think about it, that's probably the case for just about anyone who's successful in any endeavor. 

It was the explanation for how Chris Conklin wound up claiming medalist honors in the U.S. Open Local Qualifying at Troy Burne Golf Club. Having graduated from St. Olaf College last year, Conklin is scheduled to start doing research at the University of Minnesota this summer as part of the Doctoral Program in Physics that he will officially begin in the fall.

This spring, however, he's not that busy. As a result, he's been able to play more golf than in the past -- "I always had finals to deal with at this time of year" -- and he decided that this would probably be his best chance to try the Open Qualifying. On Monday, he made the most of that opportunity.

Taking advantage of Troy Burne's par-5's, which he played in 3 under, Conklin shot a 1-under-par 70 and secured the first of three spots available for Sectional Qualifying, which will take place in three weeks.

Also advancing were Jesse Polk, a former college hockey player who didn't get serious about golf until after he graduated from St. Mary's in 2008, and David Haley Jr., who just concluded his junior season at the University of Minnesota last week. They both shot 71's.  

Haley's Gopher teammate Robert Bell, the former state high school -- and MGA Boys Junior -- champion from Pierz, was probably the best player in the field for 17 holes. But he made a quadruple bogey at the 420-yard, par-4 10th and finished with a 72, one stroke too many. He tied former two-time state high school champ Ryan Peterson, the 2011 MGA Players champion (he has since turned professional), and William Lewis.

Although he's been playing fairly frequently this spring, Conklin conceded that he wasn't brimming with confidence coming into Monday's round.

"I really haven't been hitting it very well at all," the former Academic All-American (Conklin was the individual runner-up in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference Championships in his senior year at St. Olaf) said. "So I didn't have especially high expectations. I just wanted to give it my best shot and see what happens."

The course was soft as a result of all the rain that has fallen in the last few days, and Conklin played early, which meant that he didn't have to deal with nearly as much wind as those with later tee times did.

"Playing early definitely helped," he said.

He started off with a birdie at the 600-yard, par-5 first hole, only to give that stroke back immediately when he bogeyed the second (450 yards, par 4). Another bogey at the fifth (342, par 4) was offset by his birdie at the par-56 fifth (591 yards), but a bogey at the ninth put him at 1 over as he made the turn. Actually, there was some confusion about the ninth. It measured 495 yards on Monday, or 12 yards longer than the par-5 12th, and it was listed as both a par-5 and a par-4, depending on where you looked.

"It was a par-5 on the card," Polk noted. "But it was a par-4 on the computer (that kept the scores). So take your pick." 

According to the computer, Conklin got back to even par with a birdie at the 176-yard, par-3 11th and, basically, won his indivdiual medal with a a birdie at the 12th. He parred out from there.  

"I hit a lot of fairways, and I hit 12 greens," he said. "Basically, I stayed out of trouble."

This was Conklin's second try at Open Qualifying, and he doesn't know how many more times he'll be able to try.

"I don't really know what Grad School will be like," he said. "I'll be doing research and some teaching. So I'll be fairly busy, and I won't have as much time to play as I have this year. But you never know."

As for his immediate future, he'll be playing the Sectional Qualifying (the final stage) in the Chicago, at Glen Ellyn GC on June 4.

Polk will be in Houston, at Lakeside CC.

"We hope it's a long course," said his caddy, J.T. Johnson. "The longer the better."

It is axiomatic these days that anyone under 30 hits his tee shots 300 yards or more. Nevertheless, even by the surreal standards of modern golf, Polk is exceptionally long. (He hit a drive of roughly 425 yards on the seventh hole of his home course, Hastings CC, a couple of years ago.) So it was ironic that he didn't birdie any of the par-5's at Troy Burne on Monday (he did make a 4 at the amorphous, 495-yard ninth).

But his length did come in handy when it mattered. He arrived at the 470-yard 18th hole 1 over par, and promptly launched a drive of 365 yards. That left him with only a sand wedge to the green. His approach ended up 12 feet from the cup, and he made the birdie putt, which spared him the psychological agony of being in a four-man playoff for the last spot.

Haley appeared to be cruising toward the sectionals as he played the front nine in 3 under, making birdies at the first, fourth and sixth (355, par 4). His round suddenly went into reverse when he got to the back nine, though, and went four over in the next five holes, making a bogey at the 10th, a double at the 13th (193, par 3) and another bogey at the 14th (464, par 4).

Like Polk, he avoided a playoff with a late birdie. In his case, it came at the 16th (617, par 5).    

U.S. Open Local Qualifying

At Troy Burne Golf Club

Par 71, 7,034 yards

Hudson

Final results

For complete results, and hole-by-hole scoring, go to the Tournaments section of the MGA website 

1. Chris Conklin                 70 (qualifier)

T2. Jesse Polk                    71 (qualifier)

T2. David Haley                 71 (qualifier)

Did not qualify

T4. Robert Bell                   72

T4. Ryan Peterson            72

T4. William Lewis              72

T7. Jesse Bull                    73

T7. Brent Snyder               73

T9. Jordan Hawkinson     74

T9. Brady Arnold               74

T9. Jay Jurecic                  74