Keeping score around New England

More locals have advanced through qualifying and are a step away from playing in next month's US Open at Bethpage Black on Long Island. Rob Oppenheim of Andover was medalist (6-under 66) at the local qualifier at the Walt Disney World's Magnolia Course in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., and will play his sectional qualifier June 8 at Lake Nona in Orlando, Fla. Taylor Fontaine, a 19-year-old amateur from Southbridge, shot 72, then survived a playoff for one of the last two spots at Fairfield, Conn. Fontaine, a freshman at Rhode Island who starred at St. John's of Shrewsbury, will play in the June 8 sectional in Purchase, N.Y. Earlier this week at Crumpin-Fox in Bernardston, a quartet of New England golfers advanced: Justin Peters (2-under 70) of Pembroke, who now lives in Stuart, Fla., Trevor Murphy (72) of St. Johnsbury, Vt., Fran Quinn (73) of Holden, and Michael Welch (73) of Quincy.

Former Harvard president Larry Summers, who is now the director of the National Economic Council for President Obama, made a hole-in-one Saturday at the Robert T. Lynch Memorial Golf Course in Brookline. Summers used a 9-iron to ace the 132-yard 12th hole. It was his first hole-in-one . . . Bob Lyons, competing in the Norfolk County Classic over the weekend, made a hole-in-one on the 140-yard seventh hole at Presidents Golf Course in Quincy. Lyons made his 1 during the first round Saturday, when he shot 81 . . . Tim Wakefield, Jason Varitek, and two randomly-selected amateurs will be trying to make a hole-in-one for $1 million at the Pitching in for Kids fund-raiser next month at Indian Pond Country Club in Kingston. Spots are still available for the June 15 event, which will feature one celebrity per foursome. Others scheduled to participate include Hall of Fame inductee Jim Rice, Luis Tiant, Jim Lonborg, Tom Caron, former Bruin Ken Hodge, and Boston Mayor Tom Menino. Pitching in for Kids helps hospitalized children and families throughout New England. For information, call 617-367-3322 or visit www.pitchinginforkids.org.

Two of the six qualifiers to determine the field for next month's Massachusetts Open were held earlier this week, with the third qualifier scheduled for today. Chris Rivard (2-under 69) of Manchester, N.H., and Peters (71) led the 19 who advanced out of Hopkinton Country Club. Included in that group was Jon Curran, a three-time junior player of the year from Framingham Country Club. At the qualifier in Pittsfield, amateur John Dahrouge of Berkshire Hills Country Club felt right at home on his home course, shooting a 3-under 69 to share medalist honors with Adam Fuchs of Plainview, N.Y. Today's qualifier is at the Green Hill Municipal Golf Course in Worcester. A field of 150 professionals and amateurs will gather at Belmont Country Club June 22-24 for the Mass Open.

Phil Duchett placed a ball on the tee, took a mighty swipe, and smacked it 379 yards. No, not 279, which is a pretty good poke. Duchett's best effort of 379 yards on Sunday led the field at a local qualifier for the World Long Drive Championship. Nearly 50 competitors gathered at Wentworth Hills Golf Club in Plainville to see if they could hit it far enough and straight enough to advance to a regional qualifier in the popular power-hitting event. In addition to Duchett, other qualifiers included Mark Johnson (375 yards), Johnny Schiamo (372), and Justin Shanley (365). Larry Saggesi was one of two qualifiers in the senior division (age 45 and over) with a drive of 370 yards. Mike Barbarossa (353 yards) also advanced, as did Jim Dee, who won the super senior division (age 53 and up) with a 347-yard drive.

The Wayland Country Club team of Patricia Savage and Norma Giannattasio tied the Butter Brook Golf Club team of Pamela Rodrigue and Vanessa Barrett for low gross at the Allen Bowl, an event conducted by the Women's Golf Association of Massachusetts and held at TPC Boston. Each team shot 87 in the two-person, better-ball format. With a score of 62, Savage and Giannattasio took low net honors by a stroke over four teams . . . The Griscom Cup, a competition first played in 1898 and involving women's teams from Massachusetts, New York, and Philadelphia, is May 27-28 at Black Rock Country Club in Hingham. Massachusetts is the defending champion . . . Anyone interested in trying to qualify for the US Amateur Public Links Championship has until Wednesday to get their applications in. There are two area qualifiers: Shaker Hills June 23, and Atkinson (N.H.) Golf Course June 24. The final is in Norman, Okla., from July 13-18. The event is open to any public-course golfer whose USGA handicap doesn't exceed 4.4. For information, visit www.usga.org . . . South Shore Country Club in Hingham is offering a special young professionals membership for ages 19-21. The fee is $850, which provides privileges for the remainder of 2009, access to member tournaments, and reduced cart fees. For information, call 781-749-1747.