McLachlin’s playoff loss costs him spot in Open
Punahou alumnus Parker McLachlin was 2 under par over yesterday’s 36-hole U.S. Open Sectional Qualifier at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, N.J., but lost in a playoff for the final spot.
McLachlin, the 1996 state high school champion and winner of the PGA Tour’s 2008 Reno-Tahoe Open, tied for fourth after firing rounds of 73-69. But he was beaten by Jon Curran, of Florida, on the first playoff hole.
McLachlin, who had five birdies in his second round, is the first-alternate out of the field of 61.
Blaine Peffley, from Pennsylvania, was the sectional medalist at 6-under 138 (68-70).
In other sectionals:
» Dean Wilson, from Kaneohe, and Hilo’s Kevin Hayashi failed to advance in Columbus, Ohio. Hayashi, seven-time Aloha Section PGA Player of the Year, opened with a 70 at the Lakes Golf & Country Club but shot 82 in the afternoon and was 98th out of 120. Wilson, who has won once on the PGA Tour and six times in Japan, shot 71 at Brookside and 74 at Lakes to finish 69th.
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» Tony Finau, who represents Turtle Bay Resort, shot 71-70-141 and tied for eighth, but came up short at Columbine Country Club in Littleton, Colo. Wahiawa’s Nick Mason was 13th in the field of 29, at 71-72-143.
» Punahou graduate Jim Seki, the 1998 state high school champion, shot 76-75 to finish 44th out of 48 at Columbia Edgewater Country Club in Portland, Ore.
» The top four advanced at Del Paso Country Club in Sacramento, Calif., and former Honolulu resident Chan Kim, the 2006 state high school champion, had the best finish of six Hawaii golfers. Kim fired 71-72 to tie for 33rd. Waikoloa’s Eric Dugas (74-70) shared 42nd and Pearl City’s Michael Fan (74-76) and Makawao’s Royden Heirakuji (78-72) tied for 69th. Kihei’s Frank Luchowski (76-77) was 76th and Doug Stacy (86-83), from Kahului, was last in the 85-man field.