Johnson and Persons Co-Medal in Tough Conditions at U.S. Open Local Qualifying; 3 Others Advance

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 BLAINE, Minn. – Less than a year after qualifying for the U.S. Senior Open, Joel B. Johnson posted a 2-over 74 to advance to the second stage of qualifying, in hopes of earning a spot in the field at the U.S. Open next month at Los Angeles Country Club.

“I went about 15 or 20 years without qualifying for any USGA events and now I’ve had three in the last year,” Johnson said after earning a share of medalist honors Monday. “It’s been a crazy stretch, but it’s fun and the game is good.”

In cool and blustery conditions at TPC Twin Cities Monday, Johnson played an up-and-down front nine with three birdies against three bogeys over his first six holes before settling in to remain even for the round through 12 holes.

Unable to save par at the long par-3 13th, Johnson moved to 1-over for the day and added a second bogey during his back nine at the 15th. He would finish strong with consecutive pars to post a 74 to earn co-medalist honors with former University of Minnesota golfer Josh Persons.

“It was tough—really a grind,” the 52-year-old Johnson said Monday. “You just have to keep the ball in play, keep it on or around the green and try not to do anything stupid. That was my philosophy.

“The wind makes it so difficult because you’re getting blown all over on every shot and every putt. It just magnifies the bad shots. I was counting down the holes—trying to survive.”

Johnson, a two-time Minnesota Public Golf Association Mid Public Links champion, will travel to Kiawah Island, S.C., later this month to compete in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball Championship after qualifying in October with partner John Butler.

Advancing to the next round of qualifying for the third consecutive season with his 2-over 74 Monday is Persons, a former professional who qualified for the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay.

A Fargo, N.D., native, Persons played his opening 12 holes in 2-under before running into trouble down the stretch. Persons played his final six holes in 4-over, including a double-bogey at the par-5 18th.

“I was lucky to stay out of trouble for the most part and hit some good shots when I needed to,” Persons said after advancing Monday. “We all had to deal with [the weather]—it’s not a lot of fun, but it’s all about survival.

“You’re gaining shots on the field if you stay out of trouble on days like today. There are spots that can bite you on the whole back nine. Moving forward, I know what to expect because I’ve been there a number of times, and I know what I need to work on to get through.”

Helped by a string of four consecutive birdies mid-round Monday, professional Chris Swenson punched his ticket to the second stage of qualifying with a round of 3-over 75.

“It was tough. I kind of got in a rhythm after the first seven or eight holes and then made some birdies,” said Swenson, who advanced to the second stage for the first time in five attempts Monday. “I started hitting the tee ball well and hit a few in close.”

Turning in 2-over for his round, Swenson rolled in a 4-footer at the 10th and followed it by sinking a 12-footer at the 11th. 

Reaching the par-5 12th in two, Swenson two-putted for birdie to move to 1-under. From there, he would play his final four holes in 4-over, including a double-bogey at the last to post a 3-over 75.

“You have to stay patient. I haven’t played a round of golf in these conditions in a long time,” the Fergus Falls, Minn., native said. “Tough finish coming in with three unfortunate penalty shots in two holes, but it worked out.”

A former golfer at Bemidji State University, Swenson played in five events on the Dakotas Tour in 2022 and claimed a top-10 finish at a Minnesota PGA Section event late in the season.

Professional Ernie Rose, of Edina, Minn., navigated a rocky opening eight holes at 4-over par by carding a birdie against one bogey over his final 10 holes to finish tied for fourth with fellow professional Zach Sklebar.

Sklebar, from Fargo, N.D., played his final seven holes in 2-under to post a 76 to join Rose and Tommy Smith to force a three-way playoff for the final two qualifying spots. Rose and Sklebar each made bogey on the first playoff hole to qualify.

Smith (Otsego, Minn.) and Blake Onkka (Prior Lake, Minn.) finished as first and second alternates, respectively.

The 2023 championship, scheduled to be played June 15-18, marks the return of the U.S. Open to the Los Angeles area for the first time in 75 years, and the first major championship since the 1995 PGA Championship, won by Steve Elkington at Riviera Country Club.

Los Angeles Country Club most recently hosted the 2017 Walker Cup, won by the Americans, 19-7, in the tournament’s second most lopsided victory for the United State since the 1993 tournament played at Interlachen Country Club.