2009 Verizon Heritage Winner Brian Gay on the Brink of U.S. Open Bid

The second round of the St. Jude Classic at TPC Southwind in Memphis has been suspended, so we won't know the official 36-hole leader until the final few holes of round 2 are completed on Saturday morning, but it certainly looks like 2009 Verizon Heritage winner Brian Gay will occupy that position at 10-under-par.

Gay broke two significant records at Hilton Head's Verizon Heritage in April by completing the tournament at 20-under-par and crushing his nearest competitor by 10 shots.

If Gay wins this week in Memphis he would notch his third career PGA Tour victory, and become a last-second qualifier for this year's U.S. Open at Bethpage Black, which starts next Thursday in Farmingdale, N.Y.

The United States Golf Association is currently holding one spot in the Open field for anyone who wins multiple times on the PGA Tour during the calendar year from one U.S. Open to the next. The players who would qualify for the Bethpage Open with a win this week in Memphis are Richard S. Johnson, Parker McLachlin, Michael Bradley, Marc Tunesa, Jerry Kelly and Gay.

Gay was one of 110 players attempting to earn 13 spots during U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying on Monday at Germantown Country Club and Ridgeway Country Club, both just outside of Memphis, but failed to qualify after recording a 36-hole total of 1-under 141, which was three shots back of the needed score.

"Just figured I would have next week off," Gay said following his 64 on Thursday.

The man with the most interest in Gay's march to a title in Memphis was American Andrew Svoboda, who was the first alternate into the U.S. Open until Sweden's Robert Karlsson withdrew Friday with an eye infection.

Now it's American amateur Scott Lewis who will be watching, and presumably rooting for anyone but Gay, or those other five eligible players, to win the St. Jude Classic and ensure his spot in this year's U.S. Open.