RICHMOND, Tex. -- Former U.S. Open champion Tom Kite shot a 71 Wednesday in the rain-delayed sectional qualifier at Shadow Hawk Golf Club, giving him his 31st consecutive trip to the U.S. Open.Kite, 54, who won at Pebble Beach in 1992 for his only major, completed 36 holes in 139. Charleton Dechert of Enid, Okla., also shot 69-71 to qualify for next week's U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
Trip Kuehne, who failed to qualify for the British Amateur last week at St. Andrews, stumbled to a 72 and missed qualifying by one shot. He will be among the alternates.
Kite now is tied for the third-longest streak of competing in the U.S. Open. Jack Nicklaus holds the record with 44 in a row, followed by Hale Irwin at 33. Gene Sarazen and Arnold Palmer also played in 31 straight U.S. Opens.
Kite received a special exemption to the U.S. Open last year and missed the cut at Olympia Fields. He returns to Shinnecock Hills having earned his way back.
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