Giebler among leaders at U.S. Amateur qualifier

Five bogeys in the first seven holes coupled with searing temperatures on a difficult course makes for a combustible situation for many golfers.

For Brevin Giebler of Cape Girardeau, the combination served as a springboard to great golf.

Giebler used five birdies to overcome a slow start to shoot an even-par 71 in the first round of the U.S. Amateur Championship qualifier tournament Tuesday at Dalhousie Golf Club.

"I think the heat kind of loosened me up," Giebler said of temperatures that soared into the upper 90s. "I was firing on all cylinders."

Giebler, a 35-year-old sales associate at Arena Golf and a member of Dalhousie since 2006, caught fire on the back nine with a tournament-low, 3-under-par 32 on the back nine that left him one stroke off the lead entering today's final round.

Lee Wilson, of Perryville, hits out of a bunker onto the 11th green during the U.S. Amateur Qualifying tournament at Dalhousie Golf Club in Cape Girardeau on Tuesday, Aug. 2, 2011. (Kristin Eberts)

It was part of a strong showing by Southeast Missouri, which accounted for just six of the 77 golfers from eight states and Canada.

Ben Brumitt of Poplar Bluff, Mo., finished the opening day tied for the lead with a round of 1-under-par 70. Brumitt, a former Dalhousie member, shared the lead with Justin Bryant of Clayton, Mo., and Marcel Puyat of Indio, Calif.

Giebler was tied with Steven Souchek of Columbia, Ill., after his iron play and putter heated up with the temperature.

He began his round with bogeys on hole Nos. 1, 2 5, 6 and 7.

"I was just sluggish," Giebler said. "I was not swinging it at all and I missed a few putts I should of made."

Lee Wilson, of Perryville, Mo., tees off on the 13th hole during the U.S. Amateur qualifying tournament Tuesday at Dalhousie Golf Club. Wilson shot an 87 and did not make the cut for today's final round.

His round turned on No. 8, a par 3 playing 217 yards. His 4-iron shot left him with an 8-foot putt, which he rolled in for birdie.

"That swing felt good and I kind of fed off that the rest of the round," Giebler said.

Giebler made the turn at 3-over, then got back to par with long birdie putts on Nos. 15 and 16 and a 3-foot birdie on No. 18.

"It is my home course so I should be able to play it pretty well," said Giebler, who said his low round at Dalhousie is a 64.

The top three finishers in the tournament qualify for the U.S. Amateur on Aug. 22 to 28 at Erin Hills, a public course in Wisconsin. Today's fourth- and fifth-place finishers will serve as alternates.

Giebler is seeking his first appearance at the U.S. Amateur, failing in his only previous attempt at Persimmon Woods in St. Louis a few years back.

"It wasn't pretty," Giebler said. "Needless to say I didn't make to the second round like today."

Brent Holmes of Cape Girardeau and Vernon Carr, who will be a senior this fall at Poplar Bluff High School, also made the cut. The field was trimmed to 31 players, which was everyone who finished the first round within eight strokes of the leaders.

Holmes was tied for 19th place, six shots off the lead after carding a 76, while Carr was seven strokes back in a tie for 25th.

Five golfers are within two shots of the lead, with 2009 AJGA Tournament of Champions winner T.J. Vogel among three players to shoot 72. Vogel, who lives in Florida, is the son of Joe Vogel, a graduate of Perryville High School.

Brumitt will be in the final threesome today, teeing off at 8:40 a.m. Giebler will be in the second-to-last group.

Giebler, who only played one year of golf at St. Charles West High School and did not play in college, has made the match-play portion of the Missouri Amateur the past four years. But he said a trip to the U.S. Amateur would be the highlight of his golf career by far.

"Most definitely," he said. "It would be exciting."