Pairings Set For 2011 US Open - AuburnTigers.com - Auburn University Official Athletic Site

Pairings Set For 2011 US Open Dufner paired with 2008 Asian Tour Rookie-of-the-Year

Jason Dufner

June 14, 2011

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AUBURN - Former Auburn All-American Jason Dufner tees off Thursday at the 2011 US Open with 2008 Asian Tour Rookie-of-the-Year Seung Yul Noh and European veteran Stephen Gallacher.

Dufner earned his way to the Congressional Club as second alternate following a pair of withdrawels that included three-time US Open winner Tiger Woods.

Despite shooting 11-under at the Ball Ground, Ga., sectional qualifier, Dufner missed an automatic bid into the Open. The next day, however, Dufner was told by the USGA he was selected as an alternate and will make his fifth appearance at the event.

Currently ranked 25th in the 2011 FedExCup Rankings, Dufner has recorded top-10s in three of his last four events on Tour including a tie for third at the Zurich Classic.

"Jason is playing some fantastic golf right now," said Auburn head coach Nick Clinard. "He lives in Auburn and plays the same courses as our student-athletes and the people of our town when he's not on Tour. It's great for the guys on our team, and the Auburn community as a whole, to see one of their own doing so well."

Noh recently topped the field at the Springfield, Ohio, sectional with back-to-back rounds of 66 to qualify for his second US Open. As a rookie in 2008, the Gangwon-do, South Korea, native won the Midea China Classic and was named Asian Tour Rookie-of-the-Year.

In 2010, the 20-year-old won the Malaysian Open with a 14-under 274, and as the event was co-sanctioned with the European Tour, Noh become the second-youngest winner in European Tour history.

Noh finished 2010 as the leader of the Asian Tour money list, and ranked 34th on the European Tour Order of Merit.

Gallacher, a native of Dechmont, Scotland, is the son of former Ryder Cup captain Bernard Gallacher and, despite owning a pair of wins on the European Tour, will be making his first appearance at the US Open. Gallacher, a member of a victorious Team Europe side in the 1995 Walker Cup, tied for seventh at his Surrey, England, qualifier with a 5-under, 139.

The trio tees off Thursday at 12:13 p.m. CST with coverage provided by ESPN and NBC.

Complete tee times, tournament information and live scoring can bee accessed via www.PGATour.com or www.USGA.com.