ALBANY, N.Y. — Saratoga Springs High School senior Kellen Dean competed in the annual U.
S. Open Local Qualifier the past two years, improving his score each time. Only a sophomore, for his first go at the Capital Region’s staple event, Dean carded a 10-over par-81 but the following year, at the Country Club of Troy, turned in a four-over 75.
However, he missed the cut and failed to be one of the five, plus two alternates, to advance to the Final, Sectional Qualifying round. This past Monday, May 13, Dean finally broke through and in a big way, shooting two-under par 72 at Albany Country Club to place second among a highly seasoned 84-man field and advancing to the Sectional Final stage of qualifying for the 124th U.S.
Open Championship, in Pinehurst, N.C. from June 13-16.
“I knew I could definitely qualify if I played pretty well, so it’s definitely nice seeing the scores aligned,” Dean said, after finishing his round. “I didn’t really know till I got off what the scores were at. I didn’t know if two-under would be in a playoff or anything, but I was a little surprised to see that it was up towards the top but yeah,” he added.
“I was very pleased.” Schenectady's Bryan Bigley won the first stage qualifying for the 2024 U.S.
Open conducted by the New York State Golf Association at Albany Country Club in Voorheesville, N.Y., on Monday, May 13, 2024.
(PHOTO PROVIDED VIA DAN THOMPSON - NYSGA) Golfers compete in the 2024 U.S. Open Local Qualifier at Albany Cou.