Kent Gilchrist, The Province
Published: Wednesday, June 04, 2008

The significance of qualifying for the U.S. Open seemed lost on Abbotsford's Nick Taylor shortly after he fired a four-under 68 at the Emerald Valley Golf Club in Creswell, Ore., late Monday.

"It ranks right up there, but it was a qualifier," said the 20-year-old from the Ledgeview Golf and Country Club, which has produced several good players including James Lepp and Adam Hadwin.

"It probably won't sink in until I get down there [to Torrey Pines, Calif., where he will warm up on the same range as Tiger Woods, Mike Weir, Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh]."

The fact that he was one of only 83 from the more than 8,000 players worldwide who tried to qualify for this year's Open to get into the 156-player field will dawn on him sometime, too.

It's not to dismiss what he has done before -- he's defending Canadian Amateur champion and won the Canadian junior in 2006 and he finished runner-up last week in the NCAA individual championship -- but qualifying for the U.S. Open is an entirely new league.

Chris Baryla of Vernon did it in 2003 when he was 20. Former Vancouver resident Richard Lee did it last year before turning pro for the Canadian Tour event at Hazelmere.

"Unassuming, is how I describe him," said Ledgeview club captain Tom Hall, who was also Yale Secondary golf coach when Taylor captained the team to back to back high school championships in 2005 and '06.

"He's quiet, but very determined." That assessment was echoed by University of Washington Huskies coach Matt Thurmond.

"Nick's mild and quiet, but like James [Lepp] he has an amazing ability to perform at a higher level under pressure. They're both great, great champions."

Taylor has two years of NCAA eligibility left with the Washington Huskies and has no intention of turning pro, which makes Thurmond happy. But he won't be able to play in the B.C. Amateur at Marine Drive in July because it conflicts with the Canadian Open at Glen Abbey. As Canadian Amateur champion, he gets in on a sponsor's exemption. It's a slightly bigger tournament.

Perhaps the thought of having to go back to school for final exams after playing so much pressure golf -- four rounds at the NCAA championship and then two Monday in Oregon -- took the edge off for Taylor.

Hall says that's just Taylor. After a round of 65 at Delta's Kings Links By the Sea a couple of years ago, he informed his old high school coach, in almost a whisper, that it could have been two shots better but he missed a couple of putts. It was his third 65 in 2006.

Hall said the Ledgeview members are growing accustomed to all the good players who have stirred things up internationally, with Lepp winning the NCAA individual title in his senior year and now Taylor qualifying for the Open.

With Hadwin at University of Louisville and Brent Webster, who is on the UBC golf team and Lucas Bogden going to school in Texas and all playing out of Ledgeview, it sounds as if they will keep their membership hopping to stay up on the news of their exploits.

"It's fantastic for Ledgeview," said Hall in his broad Scottish accent. "The competition these kids have had with each other has been very good for them."

Thurmond believes Taylor could do well at the Open.

"He's not long," said Thurmond, "but at the Open you have to keep the ball in the short grass, right? Nick is scary straight. I think he's going to play well at the Open."