Good thing the bar was closed at El Macero Country Club on Monday.

In the 2014 U.S. Open Local Qualifying round at the South Davis course, former Sacramento State golfer Cameron Rappleye fired a 5-under par 67 to lead a field of 90 hopefuls.

Rappleye’s round included a 188-yard hole-in-one on No. 16.

Golf tradition says he who carded the ace buys drinks for everyone in the bar. Even Rappleye admitted “I was lucky” when there was no bartender to be found.

The top five golfers on this day — which included UC Davis player Luke Vivolo — move on to sectional qualifying at San Francisco’s Olympic Club on June 2. The lowest five scores there head to Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina for the actual U.S. Open June 12-15.

Vivolo, who found out earlier in the day that his Aggies are headed to the NCAA postseason in Alabama, birdied the course’s first two holes and went 34-36 for his 2-under, third-place finish on the 6,862-yard layout.

It was Vivolo’s third try at qualifying, and he was pleased with his five-birdie effort:

“I putted pretty well. Played consistently,” explained the Carmel High grad. “I made a lot of good pars and made some clutch putts at the end. Just a good, steady round.”

Grass Valley’s Marc Engellenner’s 69 took second with Jeff Brehaut (Los Altos) and Ryan Gronlund (Pleasanton) rounding out the qualifiers with 71s.

A dramatic eight-way playoff for the two alternate berths featured UCD golfers Ben Corfee and Jonny Baxter.

When the herd thinned during the subsequent playoff, it was professionals Corey Campbell (Salinas) and John Catlin (Carmichael) as first and second alternates, respectively — but Corfee didn’t go quietly, taking Catlin to the eighth playoff hole before bowing out for that second spot.

Corfee, a Jesuit graduate and Aggie sophomore who hails from El Macero, was close to qualifying last year, too. He said he wasn’t unhappy with his even-par round in 2014 and figured there would be more chances in his future.

Former Aggie and Davis High competitor Tyler Raber was 2-over on his home course and brother Scott (Chico State), came in at 83.

Current DHS sophomore Sam Yamauchi was scheduled to compete, but he scratched, opting to play in the Sac-Joaquin Section North Division championships with his Blue Devil teammates.

Notes: Vivolo, Scott Raber, Engellenner and Gronlund all maintain amateur status. … In addition to Baxter, Corfee, Catlin and Campbell, the alternate playoff included Cameron Rappleye’s brother Grant, Danville’s Gregor Main, Michael Williams (Roseville) and Jeff Rangel (Martinez).

— Reach Bruce Gallaudet at [email protected] or 530-320-4456.

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