June 13, 2005

ROCKVILLE, Md. - Virginia's James Driscoll (1997-00) will play in this weekend's U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst, N.C.

The former Cavalier golfer qualified for the tourney at the U.S. Open Sectional, held at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md., on June 7. Driscoll tied for fifth with a nine-under 133 after rounds of 66 and 67.

In November, Driscoll was listed at No. 7 on the Nationwide Tour's Top 20 Money List. The Top 20 players are fully exempt for the PGA Tour for the 2005 season.

The three-time All-American turned professional in September 2001 and promptly won his site's first stage of PGA Tour Qualifying with a 72 hole total of 13-under par. Driscoll missed at the second stage, but went on to earn full status on the 2002 Canadian Tour. In 2002 and 2003, Driscoll won more then $100,000 playing a combination of Canadian, Nationwide, and PGA events. In 2003 he won $27,466 in nine Nationwide events which he entered on sponsor exemptions or by Monday qualifying.

In the fall of 2003, Driscoll became the fourth former Virginia golfer in history (following Tim Dunlavey, Lewis Chitengwa, and Cameron Yancey) to make it all the way to the finals of the PGA Tour qualifying school. Finishing in the top half of the field, Driscoll earned status on the Nationwide Tour for 2004.

Last September, Driscoll won the Virginia Beach Open for his first professional career title. In May, he finished second at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans after a sudden-death playoff.