DUPONT — Sequim High School graduates Sean O’Mera and Adam Columbia both qualified for the 102nd Washington State Amateur, which will be held June 27-29 at the Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla.
O’Mera, the head coach for the Sequim High School boys golf team and Columbia, now a Lakewood resident, qualified at the men’s amateur qualifier held at The Home Course in DuPont on Wednesday.
O’Mera and Columbia both shot 75, both tied for 17th place, making the cut for the state championship by one stroke. Only 25 of the 90 golfers at the qualifier make it to the state championship. The winning score at the qualifier was 69, shot by Dane Huddleston of Woodland. Huddleston finished eighth at the 2A prep state championship last month.
“I tried to qualify last year, too, but it is tough,” said O’Mera. “There are many, many good players. High-level amateur golf is way more competitive now than it was when I was younger.”
More than 600 of the top amateur golfers in the state participate in five qualifying tournaments, with only 120 making the state championship.
Ryan Moore, Joel Dahmen and Fred Couples and many other notable names are among the golfers who have won the Washington state amateur.