2 . ▁M aking ▁the ▁match ▁play ▁both ▁years , ▁Mer kow ▁finished ▁ 2 1 st ▁and ▁ 2 nd ▁in ▁the ▁stroke ▁play ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁event . ▁ ▁CBS ▁College ▁Sports ▁reported ▁in ▁May ▁ 2 0 0 7 ▁that ▁in ▁a ▁qual ifier ▁at ▁North ▁Sh ore ▁Country ▁Club ▁in ▁M equ on , ▁Wisconsin , ▁Mer kow ▁shot ▁a ▁ 2 - under ▁ 7 0 . ▁That ▁score ▁was ▁good ▁enough ▁for ▁a ▁tie ▁for ▁medal ist ▁hon ors , ▁and ▁afford ed ▁him ▁a ▁spot ▁in ▁the ▁section al ▁qual ifying ▁round ▁for ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Open . ▁He ▁said : ▁" My ▁goal ▁is ▁to ▁miss ▁my ▁gradu ation . ▁It ' s ▁June ▁ 1 5 , ▁which ▁would ▁be ▁the ▁Friday ▁of ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Open ." ▁In ▁June ▁ 2 0 0 7 , ▁however , ▁he ▁failed ▁to ▁qual ify ▁in ▁the ▁section al ▁qual ifying ▁at ▁Sci oto ▁Country ▁Club . ▁ ▁He ▁has ▁full ▁status ▁on ▁the ▁H oot ers ▁Tour , ▁after ▁winning ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 8 ▁N GA ▁H oot ers ▁Tour ▁Rank ing ▁School ▁by ▁ 4 ▁sh ots . ▁He ▁has ▁also ▁played ▁on ▁the ▁Gate way ▁Tour . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 2 0 1 0 , ▁Mer kow ▁advanced ▁to ▁the ▁U . S . ▁Open ▁section als ▁with ▁a ▁ 6 9 ▁at ▁a ▁local ▁qual ifying ▁round ▁at ▁Ill ini ▁Country ▁Club . ▁ ▁In