After Hampden native John Hickson advanced through the first stage of qualifying for the U.S. Open on May 9, the expectation would be that he would spend at least some time on a golf course preparing for the next round, the sectional qualifier.

His sectional, one of 15 around the world, is Monday at Century Country Club in Purchase, N.Y. The U.S. Open is June 14-17 at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club.

Within a week of finishing tied for third in his local qualifier, though, Hickson was in the hospital.

“I had bacterial pneumonia – and strep,” he said Tuesday after finishing second in a New England PGA tournament in Quechee, Vt.

“I had been struggling for eight or nine days,” said Hickson, who now lives in Topsham and works at the local Dick’s Sporting Goods. “I started spitting something up, I had a temperature for about four days running between 101 and 104, night sweats….”

He only spent a day in the hospital getting diagnosed, followed by antibiotics and fluids, but recovery took a while.

“I had a real good time,” he said with a little laugh. “It was a long two weeks [of recovery].”

Now, he has to prepare for Monday’s sectional with precious little time to do so.

“I’ll play a practice round Sunday,” said Hickson, 43. “I’m supposed to go back to the doctor, but I may cancel [to play instead].”

“Priorities, you know,” he said with another chuckle.

One problem he may face in the sectional is that it will be 36 holes in one day.

“It’d be nice to be in some kind of shape, but what can you do?” he said.

Shape aside, Hickson said he can’t point to any one reason why he’s playing well, despite the fact his last two rounds have been under par (3-under-par 69 at the local qualifier at Pinehills Golf Club in Plymouth, Mass., and 1-under 71 at The Quechee Club).

“Nothing is jumping out at me,” he said. “I’m not hitting enough balls to say it’s ball-striking.”

“I did hit 17 greens [in regulation at Pinehills],” he added. “I guess I’d say everything is more consistent.”

He has been to the sectionals before – a couple of times in the mid-1990s, he said – but he has never advanced to the U.S. Open.

“There are under 60 guys [in his sectional], so I’m guessing maybe four [will advance],” said Hickson. The United States Golf Association, which conducts the tournament, will determine the number of qualifiers from each site based on the size and quality of the field.

“Who knows? A couple of good things and not too many dumb ones and maybe it’ll work out,” Hickson said.

Amateur Toby Spector of Waterville and Topsham native Sean Gorgone are vying for berths in the U.S. Open, too. Spector will also be in Purchase, N.Y., while Gorgone, a pro now living in Casselberry, Fla., will be at Jupiter Hills Club in Tequesta, Fla.

Pine Hill to mark 45 years

Pine Hill Golf Club in Brewer will be celebrating 45 years in operation on Saturday by rolling back some of their prices.

The all-day green fee will be $5 compared to the usual $15, hot dogs will be 50 cents, and beer will be a dollar.

Bob Little had had enough of dairy farming and converted a hayfield into a nine-hole golf course.

The club, on Mill Street in Brewer and straddling the Brewer-Orrington town line, opened for business on June 2, 1962.

Bob’s children – Pam Foss, Candace Morrill, and Bob Little Jr. – still run the club, and they’re hoping for a good turnout. Call the club at 989-3824 for more information.

Dave Barber can be reached at 990-8170, 1-800-310-8600, or by e-mail at dbarber@bangordailynews.net.