Stone Harbor's Barron tops U.S. Open Qual. at Galloway National

  GALLOWAY, N.J. – Peter Barron III, an amateur out of Stone Harbor GC, carded a 2-over-par 73 to top Tuesday’s U.S. Open Qualifier at Galloway National GC (par 71, 7,053 yards).

  He was one of five players who will now head to Sectional qualifying. The U.S. Open will be held June 17-20 Pebble Beach Golf Links in Pebble Beach, Calif.

  “Making pars was the goal,” Barron, of Mays Landing, N.J., said. “You’re not out here to shoot a low round. You’re just out here to be in the top five.”

  Barron, 34, nabbed his first birdie on No. 5 (par 3, 189 yards) after drilling his 5-iron 188 yards and draining an uphill 25-footer. He then went back-to-back on Nos. 8 (par 3, 190 yards) and 9 (par 5, 542 yards). On the first, he stuck a 5-iron to six-feet and cleaned up the birdie putt, and on the latter, Barron rocketed his hybrid 248 yards and two-putted from 40-feet.

  Barron also registered birdies on two of his final nine holes. He blasted an approach 8-iron 166 yards onto the No. 11 (par 5, 513 yards) green and two-putted from 25-feet. Barron launched his hybrid on No. 17 (par 3, 245 yard) to within eight feet of the flagstick and executed a left-to-right breaker for birdie.

  “I was more worried about speed than line,” Barron said of the putt.

  Course familiarity assisted Barron throughout his round. He worked as an assistant professional at Galloway National for seven years.

  “I know where not to hit it,” he said.

  Barron qualified for Sectionals last year at Laurel Creek CC, but failed to advance further. Ironically, Monday marked only his sixth round of golf this year.

  “We just had twins. I haven’t really had much time to practice, getting two to three hours of sleep a night,” Barron said. “I’m not trying to swing out of my shoes. I’m happy to play as well as I did.”

  Travis Deibert, an assistant professional at Commonwealth National GC, carded a 3-over-par 74 to place second. Like Barron, he adhered to a safe Galloway game-plan.

  “Going out, my goal was to keep it around par and to not try and make any big numbers,” he said. “Stay away from doubles and keep it in play. I kept it in front of me all day.”

  After carding a bogey on his first hole, the par 4, 400-yard No. 1, Deibert settled down and fired a birdie on No. 6 (par 5, 551 yards). He smoked his approach 3-wood 260 yards to the front of the green, executed a delicate chip and cleaned up a four-footer. A second birdie came on the next par 5 (No. 9, 542 yards). After striking his 5-iron 270 yards, Deibert pierced his sand wedge to 10-feet and drained a slick, right-to-left breaking putt for birdie. He registered another red figure on No. 10 (par 4, 475 yards). His approach 6-iron traveled 185 yards and bounced onto the green, Deibert converted an uphill 15-footer.

  The seams began to unravel a few holes later. Deibert carded back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 12 (par 4, 396 yards) and No. 13 (par 4, 474 yards), thanks to an errant drive/poor chip combination on the first and a grueling two-putt on the latter. But Deibert made par on his next three holes, including a key save on No. 16 (par 5, 576 yards). His 45-yard pitching wedge dropped 10-feet short of the flagstick and rolled down the green’s slope. Deibert rolled his ensuing 45-footer for birdie 12-feet past the cup, but converted the comebacker.

  “That was big,” he said.

  Deibert last reached Sectionals about 15 years ago.

  “It’s been awhile, but this is always on the schedule,” Deibert said. “I like to compete. This is a tournament you don’t want to miss.”

  Both Barron and Deibert will now head to Canoe Brook CC in Summit, N.J. for Sectional qualifying. Also qualifying Tuesday were amateurs Geoffrey Cooper of Philadelphia, Pa. and David Sanders of Mt. Laurel, N.J., both Laurel Creek CC members, and Thomas Gramigna of Haddonfield, N.J., a Tavistock CC member. Gramigna fired a birdie on No. 10 (par 4, 475 yards) to edge Michael Mulieri of Silver Spring, Md. in a sudden-death playoff for the fifth and final spot.