Borunda, who lives in Corona del Mar, got past local qualifying at the course he works. The 35-year-old shot a 69 and then survived a two-hole playoff to advance to the U.S. Open Section Qualifier, June 2 at Lake Merced Country Club in Daly City.
If Borunda finishes in the top four he will earn a spot in this year’s U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course the week after.
It would be easy to visualize making the Open and being on the driving range with Tiger Woods or practicing his putting next to Phil Mickelson.
Fortunately Borunda has kept his perspective. Spanish writer Miguel de Cervantes wrote “The journey is better than the inn” and Borunda’s travels have been unusual when compared to the golfers he will be competing with in a couple of weeks.
There wasn’t much interest in golf when Borunda was growing up in Clovis. The town in the San Joaquin Valley was more known for its western ways rather than an elitist sport. If you wanted to play golf, you couldn’t do it in Clovis, you would have to travel to nearby Fresno to find a course.
Borunda was a wrestler in high school and occasionally would go out with a friend to a local golf course and hit a couple of shots. When he graduated high school he got a job working at a driving range.
It wasn’t to get closer to the sport, though. The money was decent and seemed like a fun gig for a 19-year-old.
“It was just a job,” Borunda said. “It was one of those whims you do when you are young. I had a friend that worked there and he got me the job.”
In between picking up range balls others would hit, Borunda had the chance to hit a few of his own and quickly got hooked on the sport.
