Rice senior (and C-USA individual champion) Mitch Meissner was co-medalist in today's 18-hole "San Antonio" U.S. Open local qualifying tournament (actually held in Kerrville).

Rice alum Michael Whitehead ('11) was one of eight to advance from the Houston local ... and Rice senior Mario Carmona won the four-way playoff to be first alternate.

Did other C-USA golfers and alums advance today (and tomorrow)?

Local qualifiers will play in one of twelve 36-hole sectional elimination tournaments to be held on May 21 (one, in Japan) and June 4 (all 11 others, inclidng one in England).

The odds of making the U.S. Open field this way are still very long. "Last year, 21 players advanced to the U.S. Open through open qualifying."

The US Open will be held June 14-17 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y. (on Long Island).