PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Georgia Southern golfer Scott Wolfes fired a 2-under 70 to earn co-medalist honors in U.S. Open local qualifying action Monday at the Sawgrass Country Club East/West Course.
    The sophomore advances to the sectional qualifier at Hawks Ridge Golf Club in Ballground, Ga., June 3.
    Sectional qualifying is the second and final stage for U.S. Open hopefuls. Played over 36 holes in one day, sectional qualifying is a test of skill and endurance, with only a handful of available spots at each site — the number of qualifying spots is determined by the quality and quantity of the field at each location. There are 13 sectional sites — 11 in the U.S., one in England and one in Japan.
    “I’m excited to be 36 holes away from playing in the U.S. Open,” Wolfes said. “I would love to be one of the amateurs you see in the field.”
    Southern Conference Golfer of the Year and a two-time All-SoCon selection, Wolfes won two tournaments, placed first or second in five events and posted seven top-10 finishes for the Eagles this season.
    The sophomore is the first Eagle to win SoCon Golfer of the Year honors since Logan Blondell in 2009.
    Georgia Southern junior Will Evans and assistant coach Carter Collins also played in the local qualifier at Sawgrass but did not advance to sectional qualifying.
    The GSU golf team, which earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships, opens regional play at Ohio State’s Scarlet Course in Columbus, Ohio, Thursday.
    Georgia Southern has won three team tournament titles in 2012-13 and finished in the top-5 in six tournaments.