Rick Tramontin of Kamuela on the Big Island shot a 1-under-par 71 at the Waikoloa Kings Golf Course yesterday to advance to the U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying.

Played in hot weather and very little wind, Tramontin had five birdies and four bogeys to beat out a field that included Tadd Fujikawa.

Eric Dugas of Waikoloa shot an even-par 72 and earned the first alternate position while Fujikawa shot 1-over 73 to claim the second alternate spot.

Tramontin will now play in the Sectional Qualifying at Tumble Creek Country Club in Roslyn, Wash., June 8.

The 2009 U.S. Open Championship will be played at Bethpage State Park's Black Course in Farmington, N.Y., June 15-21.

SWEDE QUALIFIES WITH PLAYOFF ACE

Sweden's Peter Hanson earned a trip to the U.S. Open by making a hole-in-one on the second playoff hole at Sunningdale to grab the 11th and final spot in a European qualifier yesterday at Tadworth, England.

At the U.S. Open qualifier in Japan, 17-year-old Ryo Ishikawa failed to get one of five spots.

Seven players who finished at 139 in Europe competed for five spots in the playoff. Jose-Manuel Lara, Jean-Francois Lucquin, Johan Edfors and Francesco Molinari all made birdie on the first extra hole to secure their place at Bethpage Black next month.

That left Hanson, Richard Bland and Stephen Gallacher to play for the last spot, but not for long. Hanson switched clubs from a 5-iron to a 6-iron for the 206-yard 17th hole on the Old Course, and it proved to be the perfect club.

"This game is just so stupid sometimes," Hanson said. "Obviously, I am delighted to get through, but to do it like that is unbelievable. We were between clubs on the tee, but I thought that I would go for a full 6-iron and play for the middle of the green. You need a bit of luck with any hole-in-one, and I got my share today."

In Japan, Ishikawa never came close, opening with a 74 and missing out by five shots.

ELSEWHERE

Love qualifies: Former PGA champion Davis Love III secured a spot in his 23rd consecutive British Open, putting together rounds of 67-65 to earn one of eight spots in the U.S. qualifier yesterday at Plano, Texas.

It was the second straight year Love had to qualify for the British Open, which will be played at Turnberry on July 16-19.

Matt Kuchar led all qualifiers with a 13-under 129 at Gleneagles Country Club.

Daly to return: John Daly says he has been reinstated by the PGA Tour, and the two-time major champion plans to return in three weeks at the St. Jude Championship in Memphis, Tenn.

Daly was suspended for six months in November after a series of off-course incidents, the latest a picture of him in an orange jail suit with his eyes half-closed after being locked up to get sober in North Carolina.