Gig Harbor’s Kyle Stanley prefers to keep a low profile, to be alone to work on his golf game as he prepares for his professional debut in a couple of weeks.

After Monday, doing what he did in front of some of the best on the PGA Tour, that preferred obscurity might be melting away.

On the final day golfers could punch their ticket to the 2009 U.S. Open, Stanley did so. He will tee it up on the Black Course at Bethpage State Park on June 18 in New York as one of the sectional qualifying co-medalists.

At the largest of 13 qualifying sites across the country, Stanley matched PGA Tour player George McNeill at 12-under-par 132 to grab top honors at Brookside Country Club and Lakes Golf and Country Club in Columbus, Ohio.

Of the 120 golfers vying for 17 spots, Stanley posted the day’s best round – a 10-under 62 – on the Lakes course to grab the lead for good after the morning round.

Puyallup’s Ryan Moore was at the same site, and posted a low number, too. His 8-under 64 on the same Lakes course vaulted him into a tie for seventh at 134, marking the first time he’ll play in a U.S. Open since 2007.

University of Washington junior Nick Taylor, who recently placed ninth at the NCAA championships, shot a 6-under 136 to claim a two-stroke triumph and qualify at Tumble Creek at Suncadia in Roslyn.

A pair of local teenagers, Tacoma’s Andrew Yun (tied for 92nd at Columbus) and Lacey’s Cameron Peck (tied for 66th at Memphis, Tenn.) failed in their bids to get into the Open.

No doubt, hectic weeks are ahead for Stanley, who ended his career at Clemson after his junior season to turn professional, which he will do at the Travelers Championship in Connecticut the week after the U.S. Open.

But, as he sternly emphasized after Monday’s round, “First things are first.”

Stanley earned his first trip to the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in San Diego last summer, missing the cut by one stroke. He figures that experience will help him this time around.

“I know Bethpage is a really big golf course, which I think would be to my advantage,” Stanley said. “Being back at the U.S. Open is nice, and it’s another great opportunity to get out there and pick up some more experience.

“The more I get into that arena, that will happen.”

Starting on the back nine at Lakes C&GC, the Bellarmine Prep graduate reeled off five consecutive birdies Monday en route to shooting an opening-nine 30.

The birdie-making binge started on the par-3 14th, where he knocked a 7-iron from 181 yards close, and made a 12-foot putt to move to 2-under.

After that, he put on a short-iron clinic with his approach shots. He hit an 8-iron from 168 yards out on the par-5 16th to within 10 feet, and two-putted for a birdie.

On the par-4 17th and 18th holes, the longest birdie putt he faced was a 5-footer on the last hole.

“I really gave myself a lot of opportunities. Of course, I hit the ball pretty well, and made a few putts. I kind of kept it going,” Stanley said. “And after playing the Lakes course (Sunday), I knew something in the 7- to 10-under range would qualify.’

Once he posted the 62, he altered his approach on the more difficult Brookside layout, hitting many 3-wood and hybrid irons off the tees to keep the ball in play. It worked out to a 2-under 70.

“The fact, for the most part, that this is a pro deal (qualifying site), it’s nice to come out on top,” Stanley said. “More importantly, it confirms to me I’m working on the right things. That is really what I care about.”

Moore, the Cascade Christian graduate and former All-American from UNLV, had just missed his third PGA Tour tournament cut Friday at the Memorial Tournament in nearby Dublin. But he found his touch Monday, particularly on the front side of the Lakes course.

His eagle on the 581-yard, par-5 seventh highlighted a 31 in his first nine holes and he made three more birdies on the back nine to put himself in good position. But he still had to sit in the clubhouse to see how many other good scores came in.

“Waiting around to see how that holds up,” he said, which it did, meaning he will return to the site of his first U.S. Open in 2002.

It was a doubly good day for Taylor, who was named a first team All-American on Monday.

While the rest of the 36-player field struggled to break par at Tumble Creek, Taylor rode a hot putter to an opening 5-under 66, the tournament’s best score.

And in the afternoon, it was Taylor’s playing partner – fellow Canadian Andrew Parr – who got it going in shooting a 67 to grab the other qualifying spot.

“We both putted really well,” Taylor said. “In the afternoon, the pins were tougher, the wind picked up a tiny bit but ... I didn’t want to play it safe. I held on.”

Chip shots

Seattle’s Fred Couples withdrew from the sectional site at Saticoy Country Club in California, marking the third season in a row he’ll not play in the U.S. Open. ... UW golfer Richard Lee finished tied for 54th with a 10-over 151 in a New York sectional. ... Auburn’s Josh Immordino, who was an alternate to the 2008 U.S. Open, placed tied for 28th (11-over 153) at Tumble Creek. ... There were 767 golfers playing for 63 available spots across the country Monday.

Todd Milles: 253-597-8442

todd.milles@thenewstribune.com