U.S. Open qualifying 2013: Sam Saunders misses Merion in cruel fashion

The Longest Day in Golf has been exactly that for many U.S. Open sectional qualifiers, many of which required extra holes to complete on Monday evening.

In Memphis at the Colonial Country Club qualifier, Alistair Presnell and Andrew Svoboda bettered Scott Stallings to qualify for Merion in a 3-for-2 playoff. The Australian Presnell will be making his second consecutive U.S. Open appearance, having recorded a T-29 finish at the Olympic Club in San Francisco during last year’s tournament. Other notable names qualifying from Memphis include Svoboda (who earned the second playoff spot), Jerry Kelly, Kevin Sutherland and Joe Ogilvie, all players who have had success on the PGA Tour.

There was also a playoff at the traditional Maryland site in suburban DC, where three players went to a playoff for one spot at Woodmont. Sam Saunders, who’s best known for being the grandson of Arnold Palmer, bogeyed two of his last four holes to fall into the playoff. According to Steve Sands of the Golf Channel, Saunders stabbed at a four-inch putt earlier in the day and missed it -- a costly error that ending up costing him a spot in the 2013 U.S. Open. Fred Funk, a University of Maryland product and one of the more familiar names who plays at this qualifier almost ever year, finished at 3-under, a couple shots shy of the playoff. Here are eight qualifiers from Maryland: