Sherfy Bids to Extend His Lead Time at U. S. Open

Brad Sherfy has lived every golfer’s dream, short-lived though it was.

Playing at historic Pebble Beach in the 1982 United States Open, Sherfy led the tournament. Yet there was no press conference, no slaps on the backs from guys named Lee, Jack, Lanny or Seve, no adrenal overload.

The reason? Everybody else was still on the course, shooting better numbers.

On the morning of the first round, Sherfy teed off in the first group of the day and beat the two players with whom he was paired. His round? A five-over-par 77.

“I led the 1982 U.S. Open,” Sherfy said with a laugh. “Really. I was the leader in the clubhouse--for about 10 minutes.”

Sherfy never made the leader board. In fact, in three Opens, he has never made the 36-hole cut. Yet the Camarillo resident will have another chance today, when he again tees off in the first threesome as play begins in the 91st U. S. Open at Hazeltine National Golf Club in Chaska, Minn. He is one of three Camarillo residents who have qualified for the event.

Sherfy is confident that this year, he will rise and shine. He had better, because he tees off at 7 a.m. CDT.

“I haven’t made the cut yet,” he said, “but I will make it this year.”

Experience has bred confidence. Sherfy, 35, has entered events in virtually every pro tour in the world. He has played on the Asian Tour, Space Coast Tour, South American Tour, Golden State Tour, Hogan Tour and “a bunch of other mini-tours.” Everything, it seems, but the Tour de Trump.

A former collegiate All-American at UCLA, Sherfy played on the same team as current touring pro Corey Pavin. Sherfy, a native of Visalia, is currently a teaching pro at Woodley Lakes Golf Course in Van Nuys.

Sherfy qualified for the Open on June 4 at Riviera Country Club. After shooting rounds of 72 and 71, he and two other players who finished in a tie at 143 were forced into a sudden-death playoff, from which two players would emerge with Open invitations.

The three players teed off on the par-five first hole, and, if Sherfy wasn’t feeling too good about his chances, it was understandable. One of the players in the group was Tze-Chung (T. C.) Chen, the champion of the 1987 Los Angeles Open, which is played at Riviera.

Chen, who has earned more than $600,000 on the PGA Tour, had previous U. S. Open experience as well. Chen achieved considerable notoriety as he battled for the lead in the final round of the 1985 U. S. Open at Oakland Hills, Mich.

Chen, attempting to pitch the ball from the deep rough at the fifth green, accidentally hit the ball twice with one swipe, resulting in a quadruple-bogey eight. One observer quipped that Chen’s initials actually stood for “Two-Chip.”

On this particular playoff hole, they sure didn’t stand for “Tough Competition.” Sherfy and the third player in the group, Bob Lasken of Whittier, birdied the first playoff hole to defeat Chen and qualify for the Open.

Besides Sherfy, Louie Garcia and Pavin also are from Camarillo. Garcia, a teaching pro at Camarillo Springs Golf Club, is playing one threesome behind Sherfy in the 7:10 group. Pavin, a former Camarillo resident and UCLA standout who lives in Orlando, Fla., but owns a home in Camarillo, tees off at 8:40. More than 6,000 players nationally tried to qualify for 90 positions in the Open.

Sherfy also has qualified to play in the PGA Championship, the fourth event in golf’s Grand Slam. It will be played Aug. 8-11 at Crooked Stick Country Club in Carmel, Ind.