PRINT ADS

Joe DeRosa, a Holmen High School graduate and a professional playing out of the La Crosse Country Club, finished two shots short of qualifying for the PGA Tour's former Greater Milwaukee Open Monday at Bristlecone Pines in Hartland.

DeRosa finished third among the 36 players attempting to qualify, finishing at 1-over-par 34-38-72. Wisconsin-Madison head coach Jim Schuman and Ryan Helminen in a sudden-death playoff for the one spot into the July 17-20 event at Brown Deer Park with a 12-foot birdie putt on the first hole after both players finished at 71.

DeRosa was in decent shape to qualify after birdies on No.'s 1 and 8 left him at 2-under 30. But DeRosa carded three consecutive bogeys to open the back nine, and while he didn't make another bogey, he couldn't make another birdie, which would have catapulted him into the playoff. The toughest of the bogeys appeared to have come on the par-5 11th hole.

DeRosa will attempt to advance to the National Pro's championship at the Wisconsin PGA Professional Championship Monday and Tuesday at Tripoli Country Club in Milwaukee.