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Starting times for Lynn Township’s Cole Miller at 2018 U.S. Open announced
June 7, 2018
Starting times for Lynn Township’s Cole Miller at 2018 U.S. Open announced
Cole Miller, a former Northwestern Lehigh (2014) and Penn State (2018) golfer, will begin his first round of the 118th U.S. Open at 8:46 a.m. next Thursday with Kristoffer Reitan, an amateur from Norway; and Luis Gagne, a pro from Costa Rica.
The 118th U.S. Open Championship will be played June 14-17 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York on Long Island.
Miller, a 22-year-old recent Penn State graduate, turned professional this past Tuesday, one day after he successfully qualified for the event at a sectional qualifier at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland.
Miller became the first Lehigh Valley golfer to advance to the U.S. Open since former Bangor High School (2003) and Moravian College graduate (2007) Brian Bergstol played at Torrey Pines in San Diego in 2008. Bergstol is the head teaching professional at Shawnee Inn & Golf Resort.
Former PGA Tour pro Jim Booros of Allentown played in four U.S. Open’s: 1980 at Baltusrol, 1983 at Oakmont, 1987 at Olympic, and in 1989 at Oak Hill.
Saucon Valley CC assistant pro Rick Flesher qualified for the U.S. Open in 1989.
The late Robert “Junie” Schoener, who was a golf professional at Green Pond CC from 1953 to 1985, was tied for the first-round lead at the 1962 U.S. Open at Oakmont.
A Lynn Township resident, Miller is making his professional debut Thursday in the Mackenzie Tour – PGA Tour Canada Bayview Place DC Bank Open, at Uplands Golf Club in Victoria, British Columbia. Miller earned four tournament exemptions in late March for the circuit.
The region’s dominant amateur golfer from 2012-2017, Miller earned a record five Lehigh Valley Player of the Year awards in six seasons. In late July of 2017, he became the first amateur to win the Lehigh Valley Open.
Miller, the 2016 Pennsylvania Amateur Championship winner, was runner-up in the 2017 event.
Miller won six tournament titles as a four-year starter for the Penn State golf program. He was the 2017 Big Ten Golf Championships runner-up. Miller set a program scoring average record of 72.11 strokes per round.
Miller qualified for the 2015 and 2017 U.S. Amateur, and competed last summer in the 122nd British Amateur at Royal St. George’s and Prince’s. He was extended an invitation by virtue of winning the 2017 NCAA Washington Regional event.
From 2012 to 2016, Miler won a regional-best 13 individual amateur tournament titles. Miller won a record four consecutive Lehigh Valley Medal Play titles from 2013 to 2016.
While at Northwestern Lehigh High School, Miller won the 2011 and 2013 District 11 titles, captured three consecutive Colonial League championships, had two runner-up finishes in the 2012 and 2013 PIAA State Golf Championships, and was an outstanding 117-under-par for 486 holes (4.33 strokes under-par) his junior and senior seasons.
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