2003 U.S. Amateur Public Links

Story Lines

 

Bill Bartells , 50, of Seaford , N.Y. , is playing in his fourth USGA championship, having played in two previous Public Links and one U.S. Amateur. It was at the 1995 U.S. Amateur that Bartells played his qualifying rounds with eventual champion Tiger Woods. Bartells shot 79-77--156 and did not make the match play field. He is a vice president of an equipment company.

 

J. Wesley Byers, 24, of Aiken , S.C. will be a senior at South Carolina-Aiken in the fall. He has previously attended three others universities. He started his college career at Arkansas then went to Midland College and also attended Central Arizona College before landing at SC-Aiken.

 

John Brooks , 25, of Louisville , Kent . works for the Commonwealth of Kentucky in the unemployment section. He campaigned for Bill Bradley in January of 2000 while a college student at College of Charleston . Brooks will begin work for his Masters degree in political science at Louisville in the fall. He is also writing a children’s book about a Palmetto Bug named Rhodecia.

 

Armen Dirtadian , 50, of Tucson , Ariz. , has qualified for his seventh Public Links and has tried 29 times. He retired from teaching in May of 2002. Currently, he is an actor and a singer, playing Tevya in “Fiddler on the Roof” seven times in place such as Tucson , Phoenix , Nashville and Austin , Texas. Among his other credits in 25 years on the stagine are: “ 42 nd St ,” “Pirates of Penzance,” “Paint Your Wagon,” “Shenandoah,” “ Peter Pan ,” “Man of LaMancha,” and “Brigadoon.”

 

Al Falussy , 37, of Dix Hills , N.Y. loves all types of music. He owns a mobile D.J. business. He did not begin playing golf until 1988 and his first competition was the 1990 U.S. Mid-Amateur.

 

Wren Fowler, 21, of Thomson , Ga. , is a student a Georgia Tech , where he is studying nuclear engineering. He will be a senior in the fall. Fowler was exempt from qualifying after a semifinal round appearance at last year’s Public Links.

 

Mark Gardiner , 39, of Scott , Ill. , is a master sergeant in the U.S. Air Force, specializing in human resources. He served active duty for 18 years and was stationed in six locations. Gardiner is a two-time Air Force golf champion.

 

Kevin Hall , 20, of Cincinnati , Ohio , is a college golfer at Ohio State , where he finished 9 th at the 2003 Big Ten championships. He also averages 205 per game when he bowls. Kevin , an FDR Inspirational Award winner, is also deaf.

 

Mike Ignasiak , 37, of Saline, Mich. , pitched for nine seasons for the Milwaukee Brewers. He now owns the Dairy Queen in Saline, Mich.

 

Luke List , 18, of Ringgold , Ga. , won themedal at 2003 U.S. Open sectional qualifying at Settindown Creek outside of Atlanta . He shot 75-74 at Olympia Fields CC and missed the cut.

 

Lyle Patton , 20, of Canada , is a full-blooded native American of the Mohawk tribe. He lives in Kanhnawake , Quebec and attends Oral Roberts University . He has a twin brother, Louie .

 

Mickey Plyler , 35, of Greenville , S.C. , is a sports talk show host on the radio. He was a college roommate of NCAA champion Charles Warren while both played for Clemson.

 

Joseph Russo , 45, of Sewell , N.J. , is police officer in Washington Township , N.J. He qualified for the championship at Blue Heron Pines GC., where he was co-medalist with Chris Slyvia .

 

Slyvia, 19, of Atco , N.J. , is a caddie at Pine Valley GC and a volunteer fireman in Waterford Township , N..J.

 

Dave Segot , 33, of Patchogue , N.Y. , is a New York City fireman. While unsuccessfully attempting to qualify for the 2003 U.S. Open, he was paired with John Daly and Mike Hulbert .

 

Joey Stansberry , 47, of Bloomington , Minn. , was a semifinalist at the 1997, beating both Steve Scott (1996 U.S. Amateur finalist) and Trip Kuehne (1994 U.S. Amateur finalist) along the way. He lost to eventual champion Tim Clark , 5 and 4.

 

David Strickland , 50, of Anchorage , Alaska., spent four years working on the Arctic Ocean . He is the CEO of a company that builds power plants in remote Alaska villages. Strickland fondly remembers meeting Francis Ouimet as a teenager.