A player with conditional status on the Nationwide Tour may try to go where no man has gone before -- the U.S. Women's Open.
Former Canadian Tour Order of Merit winner Brian Kontak, 31, confirmed to the Golf Channel on Tuesday that he will attempt to qualify for the event, which is arguably the biggest on the women's golf calendar and will be played July 3-6 at Pumpkin Ridge Golf Club in North Plains, Ore.
Kontak told the Golf Channel: "I'm exploring the possibility. That's all I can say. But I'm dead serious about it."
After Annika Sorenstam accepted a sponsor's exemption to become the first woman to play in a PGA Tour event in 58 years, Kontak is the first to seriously step forward with an intention to break the gender barrier going the other way.
However, the USGA -- which runs the U.S. Women's Open -- requires any entrant be a female professional or female amateur with a USGA handicap index not exceeding 4.4.
"We're going to try and work our way around it," Kontak said.
Kontak fell short of his PGA Tour card this year in the final stage of Q-school last fall, gaining conditional status on the Nationwide Tour.
PGA Tour rookie Chris Anderson, a friend of Kontak's, told the Golf Channel: "I think he wants the publicity. He's doing what a lot of guys talk about, but don't have the (guts) to do. He could look like a complete (fool), but what if he wins by 30?"
Kontak has five career Canadian Tour victories and has played in events on the PGA Tour, Nationwide Tour and Hooters Tour.