Curran, competing in one of 13 sectional qualifiers yesterday around the country to fill out the rest of the 156-man US Open field, punched his ticket in Summit, N.J. He beat PGA Tour member Parker McLachlin in a playoff for the fourth and final spot, after shooting a 2-under-par 142 (71-71) at Canoe Brook Country Club. Blaine Peffley of Lebanon, Pa., was medalist (68-70), with Dan McCarthy (70-70) of Syracuse, N.Y., and Jim Herman (72-69) of Scottsdale, Ariz., grabbing the other two spots.

Living in Orlando, Fla., now, Curran has made the cut in four of seven tournaments on the NGA Hooters Tour this year, with a tie for 36th his best finish. In six Hooters tournaments last year, his best showing was a tie for third. He has earned $3,925 on the Hooters Tour this year; by comparison, the purse for last year’s US Open was $7.5 million.

He was named Massachusetts Golf Association junior player of the year three straight years, from 2002-04. In 2004, he advanced to the semifinals of the US Junior Amateur, when it was held in San Francisco at the Olympic Club.

According to Curran’s website, he’s scheduled to play in this week’s Hooters Tour event in Rogers, Ark., and is also in the field for the Massachusetts Open, which begins June 21, the day after the US Open is scheduled to conclude in California.

A number of players with local ties also played in the New Jersey qualifier. Trevor Murphy, from St. Johnsbury, Vt., shot 73-71, then won a playoff and is the second alternate. It’s a long shot, but at least he still has an outside chance at playing in his second straight US Open; he tied for 58th last year at Bethpage Black.

Others missing out in New Jersey included Michael Welch of Quincy (72-72), Brendan Livingston of Westford (79-80), Rick Leal of West Springfield (81-72), Herbie Aikens of Plymouth (78-73), Billy Downes of Longmeadow (78-73), Stanford-bound teenager Cameron Wilson of Rowayton, Conn. (69-79), and Peter Uihlein of Mattapoisett (70-84).

Justin Rose, fresh off his win at the Memorial, couldn’t maintain his strong play and failed to advance out of a PGA Tour-studded qualifier in Columbus, Ohio, despite shooting 68-72. Because of the strength and size of the field, 15 spots were up for grabs in Columbus and scores were predictably low, with Eric Axley shooting 64-63 to take medalist honors. Among the big names not qualifying were Rickie Fowler, Bubba Watson, J.B. Holmes, Kevin Johnson of Pembroke, who shot 70-70, and Brad Faxon of Barrington, R.I. Faxon’s 74-68 left him well back, but he’ll still be at Pebble Beach, since he’s part of NBC’s broadcasting team.

J.J. Henry of Fairfield, Conn., earned one of 12 spots in Memphis, shooting 69-66 in a qualifier also filled with PGA Tour players, since this week’s tour stop is in Memphis. Paul Goydos, Shaun Micheel, and Brandt Snedeker also qualified. Matt Donovan of Pittsfield shot 75-72 and failed to advance.

An opening-round 79 proved too much to overcome for James Driscoll of Brookline, who followed with a 65 in Hobe Sound, Fla., but finished five shots too high in a 49-player qualifier that awarded three spots. Jason Caron of South Yarmouth, playing in the same qualifier, shot 74-74.

Justin Peters of Pembroke, a day after his best finish on the Nationwide Tour (tie for 12th), shot 72-74 and failed to advance in a qualifier at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md.

Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, competing in a 36-man qualifier in The Woodlands, Texas, for two spots, withdrew after a second weather delay suspended play until today, when he’ll be returning to football practice. Romo shot a 71 in his first round, which left him tied for 10th, four shots off the lead, but he opened his second round with a quadruple bogey, and had played just three holes when play was suspended.

The US Open begins June 17; the last time it was held at Pebble Beach, in 2000, Tiger Woods won by 15 strokes.

Michael Whitmer can be reached at mwhitmer@globe.com.