SHOOTING LOW IN THE TEAM USA SHOOTOUT

The question was simple – how low would they go?

The Southeast Open was heralded as one of the most talent filled tournaments in history. Playing all five 2007 courses, 10 of the 37 players shot better than –120! And the drama never let up until the final holes.

Everything started with Andy Haas. The top online qualifier was considered a lock to make Team USA for the fifth time. So much so that some had said if he didn't make the team it would be the biggest upset in Golden Tee history. But after two rounds, Haas' scores were good but far from untouchable. Then the Strow, OH native rattled off three of the best rounds of the night! First it was a –28 on Glacier Ranch that should have been –30 if a putt hadn't found the water. Then it was another –28 on Palm Springs. And to put the finishing touches on his cycle, Haas put up a –29 on Moose Landing to finish with a record breaking –136 - three strokes better than the previous GTLRC record set by Anthony Goertz at the 2006 Western Open.

Being the first to finish, Haas calmly waited to see if his score would hold up. Of course, like many had predicted, he was a lock.

Next to punch his ticket was newly crowned Pub Champ Ryan McCook. The Jacksonville native was making a run at Haas' score when he hit a speed bump and put up a –21 on Moose Landing. His score of –130 would have easily gotten him on the team in the Midwest but this was the Southeast and it wasn't until Steven Tirey, Sean Gervais, and Tim Baker all came up short that McCook could finally breathe easier and claim his first spot on Team USA.

With only a half dozen players left one would have thought the last spot was going to Gervais and his score of -127. But one of those last competitors was Chris Litzinger. The Cincinnati native needed only a –22 to beat Gervais, but he didn't want to take the chance of making it that close. As players cheered him on, Litzinger closed with a –26 on Moose and claimed his third Team USA spot with a score of –132.

The three new members join captain Graig Kinzler along with Jeff McClellan, Jason Matkovich, and Marc "The Mouth" Muklewicz from the Midwest Open.

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CONGRATULATIONS CHRIS LITZINGER, ANDY HAAS AND RYAN MCCOOK!