Sport Sponsorship
Former Hokie Brendon de Jonge Shares U.S. Open Lead
One of the most decorated golfers in Virginia Tech history shares the U.S. Open lead entering today's second round. But even Hokies faithful are excused if they're unfamiliar with Brendon de Jonge, the 2003 Big East Conference champion and a two-time, second-team All-American.
First, he hails from Zimbabwe, where he grew up idolizing countryman and major champion Nick Price. Second, since graduating from Tech in 2003 and turning professional, de Jonge has struggled to establish himself. He was the Nationwide Tour's player of the year in 2008, when he finished second on the money list and won the Xerox Open, but he ranked 139th in earnings last season on the PGA Tour and is 51st this year.
This is de Jonge's first Open, and chances are he's not among the contenders Sunday on a Pebble Beach course where he missed the cut in February's AT&T National. But his 2-under-par 69 Thursday matched Shaun Micheel and Paul Casey atop the leaderboard.
The highlight of de Jonge's round was his eagle at the nasty, par-5 14th, the day's fourth-toughest hole. He jarred a short-iron approach from the fairway, one of only two eagles Pebble Beach yielded Thursday. “Obviously it takes a lot of luck when something like that goes in,” de Jonge said in his news conference. “That’s such a hard third shot, such a hard hole, period. It’s a bonus, one of those things.”
The 29-year-old de Jonge has three top-10 finishes this year, including a fourth at Quail Hollow in Charlotte, N.C., one of the Tour's deepest fields. He closed with a Sunday 66 there and had a third-round 65 at The Memorial, where he tied for 12th. "I do like tough golf courses," said de Jonge, who lives in Charlotte. "I don't feel like I'm someone that can shoot a lot under par. It's fun having to think about it a little bit more. It's a good challenge."
The challenge continues when de Jonge begins his second round off the 10th tee at 10:55 a.m., EDT.
-Daily Press Full article link
For more on Brendon click here.
