Nationwide Miss Brings Pebble Trip

-Billy Condon

A missed cut at this week's Nationwide Tour event turned out to be a "blessing in disguise" for Blaine Peffley. Peffley, a native of Lebanon, Pa., shot a second-round 70 for a combined score of 138 and in turn he can punch his ticket to the U.S. Open at Pebble. Peffley expressed how in golf, you can never get too down nor too high with great rounds and poor rounds. Peffley has conditional status on the Nationwide Tour this season, and through a sponsor exemption, got into the field in Maryland last week. Had he not missed the cut, he would not have had the chance to play a practice round at Canoe Brook, and things may have turned out differently. Peffley likes to keep it simple, attributing his success today succinctly with "fairways and greens, that's all we were trying to do."

Peffley Fires Morning 68

Blaine Peffley of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, holds the early morning clubhouse lead after shooting a 4-under 68. He put together a solid first round with two birdies on the front and back and no bogeys.

Peffley currently plays on the NGA Hooters Tour and theEGolf Professional Tour. He began his college golf career at the University of Arizona and later transferred to the University of Maryland. He has two NGA Hooters Tour victories.