123rd U.S. Open Championship Final Qualifying Storylines
Monday, June 5, 2023
To assist with your coverage of U.S. Open Final Qualifying on Monday, June 5, the following storylines have been developed for each of the 10 sites (nine in the U.S., one in Canada).
Final qualifying, conducted over 36 holes, will be held at the sites listed. The 2023 U.S. Open Championship will be contested from June 15-18 at The Los Angeles (Calif.) Country Club’s North Course.
►Lambton Golf & Country Club, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
►Hillcrest Country Club, Los Angeles Calif. ►Pine Tree Golf Club, Boynton Beach, Fla. ►Hawks Ridge Golf Club, Ball Ground, Ga. ►Woodmont Country Club (North Course), Rockville, Md. ►Canoe Brook Country Club (North & South Courses), Summit, N.J.
►Old Chatham Golf Club, Durham, N.C. ►Brookside Golf & Country Club and The Lakes Golf & Country Club, Columbus, Ohio ►Springfield (Ohio) Country Club ►Tacoma Country & Golf Club, Lakewood, Wash.
Note: The final size of the field for each qualifier, along with the final number of available spots, will be announced on Monday, June 5. Scoring from all 10 qualifiers will be available at this link.
Social media: Follow final qualifying action @usopengolf and join the conversation with #USOpen.
Broadcast coverage: Golf Channel will provide 10 hours of coverage of “Golf’s Longest Day.” The broadcast times are: 7-9 a.m., noon-2 p.m. and 6 p.m.-midnight EDT.
Lambton Golf & Country Club Toronto, Ontario, Canada; 32 players for TBD spots
Ludvig Aberg, 23, of Sweden, is No. 1 in the World Amateur Golf Ranking®/WAGR®. Aberg, a senior at Texas Tech University, received the Ben Hogan Award as golf’s top collegian for the second consecutive year. He won the Big 12 Conference Championship and NCAA Norman Regional in 2023 and was a first team All-American as a junior. Aberg was the medalist with a 5-under 67, including two eagles, at the Odessa, Texas, local qualifier on May 3.
Ryan Armour, 47, of Silver Lake, Ohio, was the runner-up to Tiger Woods in the 1993 U.S. Junior Amateur. He held a 2-up lead before Woods birdied holes 17 and 18 and won it with a par on the 19th hole. Armour recorded his first PGA Tour victory when he won the Sanderson Farms Championship by five strokes in 2017. His grandfather, Frank, was once president of Pittsburgh’s H.J. Heinz Company.
Jonas Blixt, 39, of Sweden, has competed in two U.S. Opens (2014, 2022). Blixt has won three PGA Tour events, including the 2017 Zurich Classic of New Orleans with partner Cameron Smith, and was runner-up to Bubba Watson in the 2014 Masters. He earned first-team All-America honors at Florida State University before turning professional in 2008.
Michael Block, 46, of Mission Viejo, Calif., has twice advanced through both stages of qualifying to the U.S. Open (2007, 2018). He tied for 15th in this year’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill Country Club, in Rochester, N.Y., and made a hole-in-one during the final round. Block won the 2014 PGA Professional Championship, the Southern California PGA title three times and the 2001 California State Open. His son, Dylan, is competing in the Los Angeles, Calif., final qualifier.
Chris Crisologo, 27, of Canada, was one of five players to advance from the Austin, Texas, local qualifier on May 4. Crisologo, who has competed on the Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada and the Korn Ferry Tour, first played tennis and has also caddied for fellow countryman Etienne Papineau (also playing in this same final Canada qualifier) in a PGA Tour event. Crisologo, who has played in four U.S. Amateurs, survived a 13-for-8 playoff to reach match play as the No. 64 seed in the 2017 Amateur at The Riviera Country Club near Los Angeles.
Harry Hall, 25, of England, is from the same golf club (West Cornwall G.C.) as 1921 U.S. Open champion Jim Barnes. Hall and the World Golf Hall of Famer are also the same height at 6-foot-4. Hall, who played in last year’s U.S. Open and has won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour, also has three top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour in 2022-23. A member of the 2019 Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup Team, Hall was the Mountain West Conference Golfer of Year at the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
Harry Higgs, 31, of Dallas, Texas, is attempting to qualify for his first U.S. Open. In 2022, he tied for fourth in the PGA Championship and tied for 14th in the Masters Tournament. Higgs, whose best finish on the PGA Tour this year is a tie for seventh in the Puerto Rico Open, has won on both the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Latinoamerica. His brother, Alex, is a former teammate at Southern Methodist University who currently caddies for him.
Maverick McNealy, 27, of Las Vegas, Nev., has played in two U.S. Opens (2014, 2017). He has posted three top 10s on the PGA Tour in 2022-23, including a tie for seventh in the Sony Open in Hawaii. McNealy earned the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s top-ranked amateur in 2016 and was a member of two USA Walker Cup Teams (2015, 2017). He was a first-team All-American in three consecutive seasons at Stanford University.
Richy Werenski, 31, of Aiken, S.C., has played in two U.S. Opens. He qualified in 2020 for Winged Foot after winning on the PGA Tour for the first time when he won the Barracuda Championship, a points-based event. He has four top-25 finishes on the PGA Tour this season. Werenski, who grew up in South Hadley, Mass. and played at Georgia Tech, competed in four U.S. Amateurs.
Hillcrest Country Club Los Angeles, Calif.; 90 players for TBD spots
Adriel Abaoag, 16, of Burbank, Calif., carded a 69, with an eagle, in the Llano, Calif., local qualifier at Crystalaire Country Club on May 2. A junior at John Burroughs High School, Abaoag helped his team win the 2022 Pacific League title when he was the medalist with a 73. Abaoag was a Drive, Chip & Putt finalist in 2016 (age 7-9 division) at Augusta National Golf Club.
Dylan Block, 18, of Mission Viejo, Calif., eagled the par-5 18th at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club to card a 4-under 68 and advance from local qualifying on May 3. A senior at Tesoro High School, he tied for sixth in the CIF state championship on May 31 at Poppy Hills Golf Course. The Titans finished fifth in the state tournament and won the regional title. His father, Michael, who tied for 15th in this year’s PGA Championship at Oak Hill, is playing in the Toronto, Canada, final qualifier.
Barclay Brown, 22, of England, tied for 14th in the NCAA Las Vegas Regional and helped Stanford University win the Pac-12 Conference Championship as a senior in 2022-23. Brown, a three-time All-Pac-12 selection, tied for fourth in the NCAA Championship. He was a member of the 2021 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Team. In 2020, he was a semifinalist in the English Men’s Amateur Championship and reached the quarterfinals of The Amateur Championship at Royal Birkdale, losing to eventual champion Joe Long.
James Driscoll, 45, of Brookline, Mass., fired a 3-under 69, including an eagle on the par-4 11th, in the Lincoln, R.I., local qualifier at Kirkbrae Country Club on May 16. Driscoll, whose lone U.S. Open start was in 2005 at Pinehurst No. 2, was the runner-up in both the 2000 U.S. Amateur and 1995 U.S. Junior Amateur. He is a two-time runner-up in PGA Tour events, including a playoff loss to Zach Johnson in the 2009 Valero Texas Open. He recently was a volunteer golf coach at Brookline High School.
Tom Gardner, 44, of Los Angeles, Calif., has served as the director of golf at The Los Angeles Country Club since 2015. LACC’s North Course will host the 123rd U.S. Open Championship. Gardner, who graduated from Keene State College in New Hampshire, previously was an assistant professional at Bel-Air Country Club in Los Angeles. Gardner, who has played in PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour events, has also worked at clubs in Palm Springs and on Martha’s Vineyard.
Ian Gilligan, 20, of Reno, Nev., overcame a battle with anaplastic large-cell lymphoma that included seven rounds of chemotherapy at age 15. He was chosen Big West Conference Golfer of the Year at Long Beach State University as a sophomore in 2022-23. He won the conference title and tied for ninth in the NCAA Las Vegas Regional. Gilligan, who was the Big West’s top freshman last year, was the medalist with a 6-under 66 in the Palm Desert, Calif., local qualifier at Classic Club on May 8.
Gregor Main, 33, of Danville, Calif., is hoping for a UCLA homecoming by qualifying to play at The Los Angeles Country Club as the Westwood campus is just over a mile from the club. Main, who was an All-America and All-Pacific 10 Conference performer for the Bruins, has played in PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour events. He shot 4-under 68 in the Pleasanton, Calif., local qualifier at The Club at Ruby Hill on May 16, the same place he started his journey to the 2016 U.S. Open.
Luke Potter, 19, of Encinitas, Calif., advanced through U.S. Open local qualifying for the second consecutive year, carding a 67 at Andalusia Country Club, in La Quinta, Calif., on May 2. A freshman at Arizona State University, he helped the Sun Devils win the 2023 NCAA Las Vegas Regional and earned second-team All-Pac-12 Conference honors. In 2022, Potter advanced to the Round of 16 in the U.S. Amateur and was a quarterfinalist in the U.S. Junior Amateur.
Parker Sisk, 23, of San Diego, Calif., birdied the last three holes in the La Quinta, Calif., local qualifier to shoot a 68 at Andalusia Country Club on May 2. He then advanced from a 3-for-2 playoff to earn one of the five qualifying spots. Sisk, whose twin brother, Cameron, played at Arizona State University and is now a professional, completed his senior year at the University of Southern California in 2022-23. He transferred from San Jose State University following his sophomore season.
Jaden Soong, 13, of Burbank, Calif., is a seventh grader at Thomas Starr King Middle School. He shot even-par 72 in U.S. Open local qualifying and survived a 3-for-2 playoff at Brentwood Country Club by making a 12-foot putt to earn one of five spots. Soong, whose favorite player is 2015 U.S. Open champion Jordan Spieth, started playing at age 2. He will also attempt to qualify for the U.S. Junior Amateur on June 22.
Brendan Steele, 40, of Idyllwild, Calif., has competed in five U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 13th in 2017 at Erin Hills. Steele, who has recorded three PGA Tour victories, has played on five professional tours. He started on Golden State, moved to PGA Tour Canada, Korn Ferry, PGA Tour and now competes on LIV Golf. Steele played as a collegian at UC-Riverside.
Preston Summerhays, 20, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was selected first team All-Pac-12 Conference as a sophomore at Arizona State University in 2022-23. He fired a first-round 62 and tied for third when ASU won the NCAA Las Vegas Regional. He was chosen the Pac-12’s top freshman last year. Summerhays won the 2019 U.S. Junior Amateur, which earned him an exemption into the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot. He is the son of former PGA Tour player Boyd, the nephew of PGA Tour player Daniel and the great nephew of Bruce, who won three PGA Tour Champions events. His younger sister, Grace, qualified for the 2023 U.S. Women’s Open at Pebble Beach on May 30 at Gainey Ranch Golf Club in Scottsdale.
Norman Xiong, 24, of San Diego, Calif., was a member of the USA Walker Cup Team that won at The Los Angeles Country Club in 2017. Xiong teamed with Collin Morikawa to post a 2-0 record in foursomes matches and went 1-0-1 in singles. He is competing on the Korn Ferry Tour and won last year’s Wichita Open. Xiong earned All-America recognition at the University of Oregon and earned the 2017 Phil Mickelson Award as Division I’s top freshman. He also captured the Western Amateur that same year.
Pine Tree Golf Club Boynton Beach, Fla.; 53 players for TBD spots
Cristian DiMarco, 27, of Tampa, Fla., posted a 67 at Cypress Run Golf Club and was one of five to advance from the Tarpon Springs, Fla., local qualifier on May 1. DiMarco, who plays left-handed but putts right-handed, has competed on PGA Tour Latinoamerica and Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada. He earned all-conference honors at the University of South Florida. His father, Chris, played in eight U.S. Opens and was a runner-up in three professional major championships.
Luis Gagne, 25, of Costa Rica, shared low-amateur honors with Matt Parziale in the 2018 U.S. Open, tying for 48th at Shinnecock Hills. Gagne has recently competed on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Latinoamerica. He earned All-America and All-Southeastern Conference recognition during his career at Louisiana State University from 2016-19. He has played in three U.S. Opens.
Cameron Kuchar, 15, of Jupiter, Fla., is the son of Matt Kuchar, who has captured nine PGA Tour titles and won the 1997 U.S. Amateur. Matt is fully exempt from qualifying and will play in his 20th U.S. Open. Cameron shot a 3-under 69, with four birdies, at Wellington National Golf Club on May 1 to earn one of five spots in the West Palm Beach, Fla., local qualifier.
Jacob Penny, 24, of Valrico, Fla., made a late run to gain the fifth and final spot in a local qualifier on May 3 at Lakewood Ranch Golf & Country Club’s King’s Dunes Course. Penny shot 4 under on the inward nine, including an eagle on No. 17, to post a 68 and avoid a playoff. Penny, a 6-foot-4 amateur, was a member of the 2018 GCAA Division II All-Freshman Team while playing at Florida Southern University.
Carlos Ortiz, 32, of Mexico, has played in three U.S. Opens. He won the PGA Tour’s Houston Open in 2020 when he defeated 2016 U.S. Open champion Dustin Johnson and 2017 U.S. Open runner-up Hideki Matsuyama by two strokes. Ortiz, who played as a collegian at North Texas, now competes on LIV Golf. He played in three World Amateur Team Championships.
Brendan Valdes, 20, of Orlando, Fla., was one of five players to advance from the Lakewood Ranch, Fla., local qualifier on May 3. Valdes earned first team All-Southeastern Conference and recorded seven top-10 finishes as a sophomore at Auburn University in 2022-23. He finished sixth in the NCAA Auburn Regional. Valdes won the Drive, Chip & Putt title (age 14-15 division) at Augusta National in 2018.
Matthew Wolff, 24, of Agoura Hills, Calif., was the runner-up to Bryson DeChambeau in the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot and tied for 15th at Torrey Pines the following year. He won the 2019 3M Open in his first year on the PGA Tour after having captured the NCAA individual title just two months earlier and now competes on LIV Golf. Wolff helped Oklahoma State University win the 2018 NCAA Championship as a freshman and was the runner-up to Noah Goodwin in the 2017 U.S. Junior Amateur.
Hawks Ridge Golf Club Ball Ground, Ga.; 45 players for TBD spots
Jackson Buchanan, 21, of Dacula, Ga., fired a bogey-free, 7-under 64 to earn medalist in the Springfield, Ill., local qualifier on May 8. Illini Country Club served as a local site for the 44th consecutive time in which U.S. Open qualifying has been contested. Buchanan, a sophomore at the University of Illinois, earned first team All-Big Ten Conference honors in 2022-23. He tied for second in the NCAA Championship and tied for fifth in the Big Ten Championship. Buchanan, who helped Illinois win its eighth consecutive conference title, attended Buford High School in Georgia and was an all-state selection.
Roberto Castro, 37, of Atlanta, Ga., has played in six U.S. Opens. He has competed on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour and won six eGolf Tour events. His best finish on the PGA Tour was a runner-up effort in the 2016 Wells Fargo Championship, when he lost to James Hahn in a playoff. Castro, the nephew of former LPGA player Jenny Lidback, was an All-American at Georgia Tech.
Bill Haas, 41, of Greenville, S.C., has played in 10 U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for fifth in 2017 at Erin Hills. He has earned six PGA Tour victories, including the 2011 Tour Championship. Haas is the son of Jay Haas, who competed in 27 U.S. Opens, and the great nephew of Bob Goalby, who tied for second in the 1961 U.S. Open. Like his father, Bill played his college golf at Wake Forest University.
Patton Kizzire, 37, of Sea Island, Ga., has played in three U.S. Opens. He advanced to The Country Club last year from the Roswell, Ga., final qualifier as the first alternate. Kizzire has won twice on the PGA Tour, including the 2018 Sony Open in Hawaii with a birdie on the sixth playoff hole. One of the tallest players on the PGA Tour at 6-foot-5, Kizzire was the 2015 Korn Ferry Tour Player of the Year.
Gordon Sargent, 20, of Birmingham, Ala., was voted Southeastern Conference Player of the Year as a sophomore at Vanderbilt University in 2022-23. He posted eight top-5 finishes, including fifth in the SEC Championship and a tie for seventh in the NCAA Auburn Regional. Sargent won the 2022 NCAA individual title in a playoff and received the Phil Mickelson Award as the nation’s top freshman. He helped the USA win a bronze medal at last year’s World Amateur Team Championship.
Jack Schoenberger, 20, of Alpharetta, Ga., outlasted former PGA Tour player Mathew Goggin in a 2-for-1 playoff to advance from the Pinehurst, N.C., local qualifier on May 8. He shot 3-under 69 at Pinewild Country Club’s Magnolia Course. Schoenberger was chosen Missouri Valley Conference Newcomer of the Year and posted three top-10 finishes as a freshman at Belmont University in 2022-23. He was an all-state selection at Kings Ridge Christian Academy, 12 miles from Hawks Ridge Golf Club.
Ryan Wilkins, 32, of Woodstock, Ga., emerged from an 8-for-1 playoff for the last spot in the Kennesaw, Ga., local qualifier on April 24. Wilkins, who shot a 69 at Marietta Country Club, was a pitcher on North Carolina State’s 2013 College World Series team. He posted a 6-2 record with two saves and later pitched in the minor leagues for the Sioux City (Iowa) Explorers, an independent team in the American Association. His father, Dean, was chosen in the second round of the 1986 MLB January Draft by the New York Yankees and went on to pitch for the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros.
Woodmont Country Club (North Course) Rockville, Md.; 60 players for TBD spots
Connor Arendell, 32, of Fort Myers, Fla., was the medalist in a Fort Myers local qualifier for the second consecutive year. He carded a 6-under 66 at Lexington Country Club on May 4. Arendell played in the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach after qualifying through both stages. Arendell, who won the 2021 Florida Open, has played primarily on the Korn Ferry Tour. As an amateur he twice reached the Round of 16 in the U.S. Amateur (2009, 2010).
Evan Beck, 32, of Virginia Beach, Va., was co-medalist with a bogey-free, 7-under 65 in the Keswick, Va., local qualifier on May 16. Beck, who was runner-up in the 2008 U.S. Junior Amateur, is an analyst for an investment group. In 2022, he won the Eastern Amateur and Virginia State Golf Association Mid-Amateur, while also reaching the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball semifinals and the Round of 32 at the U.S. Mid-Amateur. Beck was an All-America and All-Atlantic Coast Conference golfer at Wake Forest University.
Michael Brennan, 21, of Leesburg, Va., earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors for the third consecutive year as a junior at Wake Forest University in 2022-23, where he is attending on a Lanny Wadkins scholarship, named for the 1970 U.S. Amateur champion and current Golf Channel commentator. Brennan posted 9-under 207 to become the first Demon Deacon to win the ACC Championship since 2012 U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson 15 years ago. Brennan recorded six top-10 finishes, including a victory in the Southwestern Invitational. He has competed in four U.S. Amateurs.
Joseph Bramlett, 34, of San Jose, Calif., has played in three U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 37th last year at The Country Club. He was the medalist in the Rockville, Md., final qualifier. Bramlett was the youngest player at the time to qualify for the U.S. Amateur when he competed at age 14 in 2002. He was later sidelined for two years due to lateral spine dysfunction and returned to golf in 2018. He played at Stanford University and earned his PGA Tour card through qualifying school in 2010.
George Duangmanee, 21, of Fairfax, Va., was one of seven players to advance from the Ijamsville, Md., local qualifier on May 4. Duangmanee, who won the 2015 Drive, Chip & Putt national title (age 12-13 division), is a junior on the University of Virginia team in 2022-23. He posted two top-10 finishes and tied for 23rd in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship. He reached the 2020 Western Amateur semifinals.
Devin Gee, 37, of Oakmont, Pa., is the head professional at Oakmont Country Club, the site of the 2025 U.S. Open Championship. Gee was a longtime assistant who took over for renowned Oakmont professional Bob Ford following the 2016 U.S. Open. Gee, whose wife, Katie Miller, has played in 17 USGA championships, advanced from the Presto, Pa., local qualifier on May 15.
Marc Leishman, 39, of Australia, has played in 11 U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 14th last year at The Country Club. He has won six PGA Tour events, including the 2017 Arnold Palmer Invitational, and now competes on LIV Golf and PGA Tour Australasia. Leishman was co-runner-up in the 2015 Open Championship at St. Andrews, losing to Zach Johnson in a four-hole aggregate playoff.
Sebastian Munoz, 30, of Colombia, has played in four U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 14th last year at The Country Club, in Brookline, Mass. Munoz won the PGA Tour’s Sanderson Farms Championship in 2019, defeating Sungjae Im in a playoff. Munoz, who played as a collegian at North Texas, is now competing on LIV Golf.
Kevin Roy, 33, of Tampa, Fla., is the son of Jim Roy, who has played in two U.S. Opens (1983, 1989) and a pair of U.S. Senior Opens. Kevin caddied for his father in the 2018 Senior Open at The Broadmoor. Roy, who has worked in medical sales and at a country club in Syracuse, N.Y., is currently competing on the PGA Tour.
Canoe Brook Country Club (North & South Courses) Summit, N.J.; 67 players for TBD spots
Christopher Crawford, 29, of Bensalem, Pa., has played in three U.S. Opens (2016, 2017, 2021). He advanced to the championship through both stages of qualifying each time. Crawford became the first Drexel University golfer to play in a U.S. Open in 2016 when he sank a 40-foot birdie putt on the final hole at the Summit, N.J., qualifier. Crawford, who is currently competing on PGA Tour Latinoamerica, was one of five players to move forward from this year’s Springfield, Pa., local qualifier.
Raymond Floyd Jr., 48, of Tunbridge, Vt., is the son of World Golf Hall of Fame inductee Raymond Floyd, who won the 1986 U.S. Open, three other major professional titles and 22 PGA Tour events. Floyd Jr. has played in 11 USGA championships. He caddied for his father in his last Masters Tournament appearance. Floyd Jr., who played at Wake Forest University in the late 1990s, works for an equity trading firm. He advanced from the Norwalk, Conn., local qualifier on April 24.
Stewart Hagestad, 32, of Newport Beach, Calif., competed in his fourth U.S. Open last year, finishing 64th at The Country Club. He became the sixth player to win multiple U.S. Mid-Amateurs in 2021 at Sankaty Head Golf Club. He also won the 2016 championship by rallying to defeat Scott Harvey in 37 holes. Hagestad has been a member of three victorious USA Walker Cup Teams, including in 2017 at his home course, The Los Angeles Country Club. In the 2017 Masters, he became the first invited Mid-Amateur champion to make the 36-hole cut and finished as low amateur.
Jim Herman, 45, of Cincinnati, Ohio, is a former assistant professional at Trump National Golf Club, 27 miles west of Canoe Brook Country Club. He has competed in five U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 47th in 2010. He qualified for the 2020 Open at Winged Foot after winning the Wyndham Championship, his third PGA Tour victory. He has won on three professional tours.
Derek Hitchner, 23, of Minneapolis, Minn., was voted West Coast Conference Co-Player of the Year with teammate William Mouw as a graduate student at Pepperdine University in 2022-23. He registered six top-10 finishes, won the Western Intercollegiate, tied for fifth in the WCC Championship and tied for 11th in the NCAA Championship. He was one of five players to advance from the Palm Desert, Calif., local qualifier on May 10. Hitchner, who was born in Summit, N.J., has competed in four U.S. Amateurs and reached the semifinals last year at The Ridgewood Country Club in nearby Paramus.
Ben James, 20, of Milford, Conn., earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors as a freshman at the University of Virginia in 2022-23. He is one of five finalists for the Division I Jack Nicklaus Award. James was sixth in the NCAA Championship and tied for first in the NCAA Las Vegas Regional, one of five tournament wins this season. He also posted five additional top-10s, including third in the ACC Championship. In 2022, he won the Dustin Johnson World Junior and was second in the Terra Cotta Invitational and third in the Jones Cup.
Kelly Kraft, 34, of Dallas, Texas, is a PGA Tour member who hopes to compete in his first U.S. Open. Kraft won the 2011 U.S. Amateur, defeating Patrick Cantlay in the final. He forfeited his exemption into the 2012 U.S. Open as U.S. Amateur champion by turning professional following that year’s Masters. Kraft, a member of the 2011 USA Walker Cup Team, has played in the other three major championships.
Brandon Matthews, 28, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla., advanced to his first U.S. Open by surviving an 8-for-3 playoff last year in the Purchase, N.Y., final qualifier. He tied for 60th at The Country Club in his first professional major championship. His best finish on the PGA Tour in 2022-23 came at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans, where he and partner Sean O’Hair tied for seventh.
Cody Paladino, 34, of West Hartford, Conn., was the runner-up in the 2007 U.S. Amateur Public Links. He was the medalist in a U.S. Open local qualifier for the second consecutive year, carding a 69 at Shorehaven Country Club on April 24. Paladino, who works in the healthcare industry, was reinstated as an amateur in 2020 after playing professionally for five years on four tours and in 22 countries. His brother, Brent, is the USGA’s senior director of championship administration.
Matt Parziale, 36, of Brockton, Mass., will celebrate his birthday by attempting to qualify for his third U.S. Open. He advanced from the Lakeville, Mass., local qualifier on May 3 when he made seven birdies to offset a double bogey and post a 4-under 68. Parziale became the first U.S. Mid-Amateur champion to earn a full exemption into the following year’s U.S. Open when he won in 2017. A former firefighter who now works for an insurance brokerage firm, Parziale tied for 48th place to share low-amateur honors with Luis Gagne in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
Andy Pope, 39, of Glen Ellyn, Ill., has competed in five U.S. Opens. He will attempt to advance through both local and final qualifying for the fourth time after he shot a 67 in the Palm City, Fla., local qualifier on April 27. He has made the 36-hole cut twice in a U.S. Open, including 2019 when he tied for 58th at Pebble Beach. Pope, who won the 2022 Florida Open, previously played on the Korn Ferry Tour.
David Sanders, 32, of Mount Laurel, N.J., advanced through U.S. Open local qualifying for the sixth consecutive time and in eight of the last 10 years in which qualifiers have been conducted. He shot 69 at Medford Village Country Club on May 1. Sanders, whose mother immigrated from the Republic of Korea at age 18, won the 2011 New Jersey State Amateur after playing at Campbell University. He has competed on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023.
Caleb Surratt, 19, of Indian Trail, N.C., was chosen Southeastern Conference Freshman of the Year and first team All-SEC as a member of the University of Tennessee team in 2022-23. He won the SEC Championship and recorded seven top-10 finishes overall, including a tie for 10th in the NCAA Auburn Regional. In 2022, Surratt was the runner-up to Wenyi Ding in the U.S. Junior Amateur at Bandon Dunes and won his second consecutive Terra Cotta Invitational. He captured the 2021 Western Junior to join a list of champions that includes Jim Furyk, Collin Morikawa and Rickie Fowler.
Michael Thorbjornsen, 21, of Wellesley, Mass., played in his second U.S. Open last year after advancing from an 8-for-3 playoff in the Purchase, N.Y., final qualifier. He was voted Pac-12 Conference Golfer of the Year and won the conference title as a junior on the Stanford University team in 2022-23. He registered eight top-10 finishes, including a tie for fifth in the NCAA Las Vegas Regional. Thorbjornsen became the second-youngest player (age 17) since World War II to make the 36-hole cut in the U.S. Open and finished 79th in 2019. Thorbjornsen, the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur champion, helped the USA win a bronze medal in last year’s World Amateur Team Championship, in Paris, France.
Dan Walters, 38, of Winston-Salem, N.C., was the medalist with a 68 in a Phoenix, Md., local qualifier at Hillendale Country Club on May 11. Walters, who works in sales for a paper company, coached at Wake Forest University for nine years, where he worked with All-Americans Cameron Young and Will Zalatoris. Walters, who played professionally before regaining his amateur status, was a first team All-American at Rollins College and won the 2006 Sunshine State Conference title.
Old Chatham Golf Club Durham, N.C.; 78 players for TBD spots
John Augenstein, 25, of Owensboro, Ky., was the runner-up to Andy Ogletree in the 2019 U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2. Augenstein, who is competing on the Korn Ferry Tour, played in the U.S. Open and Masters in 2020. He won two singles matches as a member of the winning 2019 USA Walker Cup Team. Augenstein earned first-team All-America and was the Southeastern Conference Player of the Year as a senior at Vanderbilt University in 2019-20.
Paul Barjon, 30, of France, has played in two U.S. Opens (2020, 2021). Barjon, who won the 2019 PGA Tour Canada Order of Merit, competes on the Korn Ferry Tour and won the 2021 Huntsville Championship. He played at Texas Christian University and was the runner-up in the 2016 Big 12 Conference Championship.
Frankie Capan, 23, of North Oaks, Minn., was medalist with a 6-under 65 in the Austin, Texas, local qualifier on May 4. Capan recorded his best finish on the Korn Ferry Tour this season when he tied for third at the HomeTown Lenders Championship five days earlier. He transferred in 2020-21 from the University of Alabama to Florida Gulf Coast University, where he helped FGCU reach the NCAAs. Capan and Shuai Ming Wong won the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball title at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club in 2017.
Scott Gutschewski, 46, of Elkhorn, Neb., was the medalist with a 68 in local qualifying at Omaha (Neb.) Country Club on May 10. Gutschewski, who played in the 2009 U.S. Open, has won three Korn Ferry Tour events, including this year’s Lecom Suncoast Classic in a playoff with Logan McAllister. He has played in events on six professional tours and led the University of Nebraska to the NCAAs in 1999.
Chesson Hadley, 35, of Raleigh, N.C., has played in three U.S. Opens. His best finish was a tie for ninth in 2019 at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Hadley, who is a natural lefthander but plays golf righthanded, was the 2014 PGA Tour Rookie of the Year when he won the Puerto Rico Open. A winner of four Korn Ferry Tour events, Hadley was a three-time All-America selection at Georgia Tech.
Michael La Sasso, 19, of Raleigh, N.C., made a birdie on the sixth playoff hole to earn the fifth and final spot in the Wallace, N.C., local qualifier on April 26. He shot a 69 to get into the 6-for-1 playoff at River Landing Golf Club’s River Course. La Sasso tied for 19th in the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship as a freshman at North Carolina State University in 2022-23. He was runner-up in last year’s state amateur match play and was medalist when St. David’s won the 2019 state Class 3A high school title.
Spencer Levin, 37, of Elk Grove, Calif., won the Korn Ferry Tour’s Veritex Bank Championship on April 16 and advanced through U.S. Open local qualifying nine days later. He qualified for his fourth U.S. Open through the Columbus, Ohio, final stage in 2016 and went on to tie for 65th at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. Levin, who has won three times on PGA Tour Canada, tied for 13th and was low amateur in the 2004 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. His father, Don, competed on the PGA Tour in the early 1980s.
Dylan Menante, 22, of Carlsbad, Calif., earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference recognition in his first season at the University of North Carolina in 2022-23. He transferred from Pepperdine University, where he was a two-time conference player of the year. At UNC, Menante tied for fourth in the NCAA Championship, tied for sixth in the NCAA Salem Regional and tied for seventh in the ACC Championship. He advanced to last year’s U.S. Amateur semifinals. His father, Dean, played at the University of Nevada and competed in the 1984 U.S. Amateur.
Doc Redman, 25, of Raleigh, N.C., seeks to qualify for his first U.S. Open. He turned professional in 2018 and forfeited his exemption into the U.S. Open after rallying to win the U.S. Amateur in 37 holes the previous year at The Riviera Country Club, in Pacific Palisades, Calif. Redman, who was a member of the winning 2017 USA Walker Cup Team at The Los Angeles Country Club, competes on the PGA Tour.
Smith Summerlin, 15, of Raleigh, N.C., was one of five players to advance from the Wallace, N.C., local qualifier on April 26. He won the state’s East Regional with a 66 and tied for 16th in the Class 4A state championship as a freshman at Broughton High School. In 2022, Summerlin captured the Jack Burke Jr. Invitational with a closing 63, his first AJGA victory, and tied for second in the Southern Junior Championship at the Country Club of Charleston.
Bo Van Pelt, 48, of Tulsa, Okla., has played in nine U.S. Opens and last competed in 2015 when he advanced from the Columbus, Ohio, final qualifier. His best finish is a tie for 14th in 2011 at Congressional Country Club. Van Pelt has won on five professional tours, including the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. His father, Bob, was chosen in the 1967 NFL Draft by the Philadelphia Eagles.
Harold Varner III, 32, of Gastonia, N.C., has competed in three U.S. Opens. He won the 2017 Australian PGA Championship and the 2022 PIF Saudi International. Varner has played on six professional tours – PGA, DP World, Korn Ferry, Asian, eGolf and LIV Golf, earning his first victory on that tour in the Washington, D.C., event on May 28. He was chosen Conference USA Player of the Year while playing at East Carolina University.
Brookside Golf & Country Club and The Lakes Golf & Country Club Columbus, Ohio; 120 players for TBD spots
Tegan Andrews, 21, of Agoura Hills, Calif., earned the last spot available among the 109 U.S. Open local qualifying sites on May 22 in Palmer, Alaska. Andrews shot a 72 in 50-degree weather with strong winds and was three strokes clear of the 16-player field at Palmer Golf Course. Andrews, a junior at Cal State-Fullerton in 2022-23, ended up in Alaska when he waited too long to file an entry to get into any of the Southern California local qualifiers. His grandfather, Gene, was a two-time USGA champion who competed in three U.S. Opens and was a member of the 1961 USA Walker Cup Team.
Cameron Champ, 27, of Sacramento, Calif., hopes to return to The Los Angeles Country Club where he was a member of the winning 2017 USA Walker Cup Team. He has played in three U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 32nd in 2017 at Erin Hills. Champ has won three PGA Tour events and once on the Korn Ferry Tour. His father, Jeff, was selected in the Major League Baseball Draft by the Baltimore Orioles.
Kevin Chappell, 36, of Fresno, Calif., has played in eight U.S. Opens. He tied for third in 2011 in his first Open when he shot 66 in the final round at Congressional Country Club. His lone PGA Tour win is a one-stroke victory over two-time U.S. Open champion Brooks Koepka in the 2017 Valero Texas Open. Chappell, who played at UCLA, won the 2008 NCAA Championship.
Stewart Cink, 50, of Atlanta, Ga., has played in 23 U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for third in 2001 at Southern Hills. He set the U.S. Open final qualifying 36-hole scoring mark in 2003 with rounds of 62 and 61 in Columbus, Ohio. Cink captured the 2009 Open Championship at Turnberry in a playoff with Tom Watson. He has won eight PGA Tour titles, including the 2019 RBC Heritage.
Eric Cole, 34, of Delray Beach, Fla., finished second in the PGA Tour’s 2023 Honda Classic, losing in a playoff to Chris Kirk. He comes from an accomplished golf family. His father, Bobby, played in seven U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 12th in 1970. Bobby won a PGA Tour event in 1977 and captured nine titles in his native South Africa. Eric’s mother, Laura Baugh, won the 1971 U.S. Women’s Amateur. She competed in 14 U.S. Women’s Opens and tied for eighth in 1979. Eric played in the 2021 U.S. Open.
Pierceson Coody, 23, of Plano, Texas, won the Korn Ferry Tour’s Panama Championship and has played in seven PGA Tour events in 2022-23. He and his twin brother, Parker, played at the University of Texas and are the grandsons of 1971 Masters champion Charles Coody. Pierceson, a member of the winning 2021 USA Walker Cup Team, advanced through the Columbus, Ohio, final qualifier to his first U.S. Open two years ago.
Brad Dalke, 25, of Edmond, Okla., moved forward from the Hot Springs, Ark., local qualifier after surviving a 3-for-2 playoff. He was the runner-up to Curtis Luck in the 2016 U.S. Amateur and played in the U.S. Open and Masters in 2017. He led the University of Oklahoma to the NCAA Championship in that same year. His father (Bill) was a starting linebacker on Oklahoma’s 1975 national championship football team and his mother (Kay Pryor) played on the first Oklahoma women’s golf team.
Luke Donald, 45, of England, has played in 14 U.S. Opens. His best finish is a tie for eighth in 2013 at Merion Golf Club. Donald, the 2011 PGA Tour Player of the Year, has won five Tour events and seven DP World Tour titles, including two BMW PGA Championships. He also claimed the 1999 NCAA individual title while playing for Northwestern University.
Lucas Glover, 43, of Jupiter, Fla., won the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course. In a Monday finish due to weather, Glover posted a two-stroke victory over Ricky Barnes, David Duval and Phil Mickelson. He has played in 15 U.S. Opens and tied for 17th in 2020 at Winged Foot, his best finish in recent years. Glover owns four PGA Tour victories, including the 2021 John Deere Classic.
Lanto Griffin, 34, of Blacksburg, Va., was co-medalist (69-62) in the Columbus, Ohio, final qualifier last year when he advanced to his fourth U.S. Open. He tied for 35th in 2021 at Torrey Pines and tied for 43rd in 2020 at Winged Foot. He won the PGA Tour’s 2019 Houston Open and has also won on the Korn Ferry and PGA Latinoamerica tours. He turned professional in 2010 after playing at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Carson Herron, 20, of Deephaven, Minn., is attempting to become a fourth-generation U.S. Open competitor. His father, Tim, played in 11 U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for sixth in 1999. His grandfather, Carson, and great-grandfather, Clee, competed in 1963 and 1934, respectively. Carson tied for 15th in the Mountain West Conference Championship as a sophomore at the University of New Mexico in 2022-23. He advanced through U.S. Open local qualifying on his college home course.
Zach Johnson, 47, of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, has won two major championships, the 2007 Masters Tournament and the 2015 Open Championship. He has played in 18 U.S. Opens. His best finishes are a pair of ties for eighth place in 2016 and 2020. Johnson, who has won 12 PGA Tour events, was a member of five USA Ryder Cup Teams and will serve as the captain in 2023.
David Lipsky, 34, of Las Vegas, Nev., is attempting to qualify for his first U.S. Open. He has won twice on the DP World Tour, including the 2018 Alfred Dunhill Championship, and once on the Korn Ferry Tour. Lipsky, who grew up in the Los Angeles, Calif., area, captured the 2010 Big Ten Conference Championship while playing at Northwestern University. He has won on four professional tours.
Geoff Ogilvy, 45, of Australia, claimed the 2006 U.S. Open Championship at Winged Foot Golf Club when he defeated Jim Furyk, Colin Montgomerie, and Phil Mickelson by one stroke. Ogilvy, who has played in 13 U.S. Opens, won eight PGA Tour and four DP World Tour events. He also was victorious in the 2008 Australian Open and 2010 Australian PGA Championship.
Chez Reavie, 41, of Scottsdale, Ariz., has played in nine U.S. Opens and tied for third in 2019 at Pebble Beach, his best finish in a major championship. Reavie has won three times on the PGA Tour, including the 2008 RBC Canadian Open and last year’s Barracuda Championship. He won the 2001 U.S. Amateur Public Links and has competed in 14 USGA championships.
Patrick Rodgers, 30, of Jupiter, Fla., has qualified for all four of his U.S. Opens, including last year, through Columbus, Ohio. He tied for 31st in 2022 at The Country Club and also tied for 31st in 2021 at Torrey Pines. Rodgers, who has four top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour in 2022-23, was a member of two USA Walker Cup Teams (2011, 2013).
Kevin Streelman, 44, of Winfield, Ill., posted his best finish in a U.S. Open in 2016 when he tied for 13th at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. Streelman, who has played in eight U.S. Opens, has won twice on the PGA Tour and owns four top-25 finishes this season. He once caddied at Chicago Golf Club, one of five founding members of the United States Golf Association.
Brendon Todd, 37, of Athens, Ga., has played in five U.S. Opens. He tied for 17th in 2014 at Pinehurst No. 2 and tied for 23rd in 2020 at Winged Foot. He has won three PGA Tour events, including both the Bermuda Championship and Mayakoba Golf Classic in 2019. Todd, who turned professional in 2007, won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour. He was a four-time All-American at the University of Georgia.
Peter Uihlein, 33, of Jupiter, Fla., has competed in three U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 48th in 2018 at Shinnecock Hills. He qualified the previous year from Columbus, Ohio, when he advanced from a 4-for-3 playoff. Uihlein, who was an All-America selection at Oklahoma State University, won the 2010 U.S. Amateur at Chambers Bay. Uihlein has won on three professional tours, including a pair of Korn Ferry tournaments, and now plays on LIV Golf.
Springfield Country Club Springfield, Ohio; 78 players for TBD spots
Ryan Brehm, 37, of Mount Pleasant, Mich., advanced through the Springfield, Ohio, qualifier to his lone U.S. Open in 2017. He finished 53rd at Erin Hills. Brehm won the 2022 Puerto Rico Open, his first PGA Tour victory, with his wife, Chelsey, serving as caddie. Brehm, who won twice on the Korn Ferry Tour, played at Michigan State University and later was an MSU assistant coach.
Nick Hardy, 27, of Northbrook, Ill., has played in four U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 14th last year at The Country Club. He was the first alternate from the Springfield, Ohio, final qualifier. In 2016, he was the medalist in this southern Ohio qualifier. Hardy, who currently competes on the PGA Tour, won this year’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans with partner Davis Riley. He was the 2018 Big Ten Conference Player of the Year while playing for the University of Illinois.
Beau Hossler, 28, of Austin, Texas, has played in four U.S. Opens. He advanced through the Springfield, Ohio, qualifier and tied for 53rd at The Country Club last year. Hossler, an All-American at the University of Texas, played in the 2011 U.S. Open at age 16 and tied for 29th in 2012. Hossler, who was the runner-up in the PGA Tour’s 2018 Houston Open and has seven top-25 finishes this season, was a member of the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team.
Jay Jurecic, 52, of Caspian, Mich., was a sixth- and seventh-grade math teacher at West Iron County Public Schools for 21 years. He gave up that career to chase his golf dream. Jurecic, who did not play at the high school or college levels, competed on mini-tours in the summers when school was out of session and once took a sabbatical from teaching. He was one of seven players to advance from the Stockbridge, Ga., local qualifier on May 1 after he carded a 2-under 68 at Eagle’s Landing Country Club.
Willie Mack III, 34, of Flint, Mich., was the medalist with a 65 that included eight birdies in the Orlando, Fla., local qualifier on May 15 at Shingle Creek Golf Club. Mack, who now has full status on the Korn Ferry Tour, has recorded more than 70 wins on mini-tours and the Advocates Professional Golf Association Tour, where he won three tournaments in 2022. Mack, who played at Bethune-Cookman University, once lived out of his car early in his professional career.
PJ Maybank, 18, of Cheboygan, Mich., was the medalist in local qualifying at Muskegon (Mich.) Country Club on May 1. Maybank has been on a tear this spring. He won the Azalea Invitational by 11 strokes at the Country Club of Charleston (S.C.) and tied for second in the Terra Cotta Invitational. Maybank, who won Michigan’s Division III state high school title in 2021, will attend the University of Oklahoma in the fall. He captured the Drive, Chip & Putt national championship (age 12-13 division) in 2018.
Troy Merritt, 37, of Eagle, Idaho, played in his fourth U.S. Open after qualifying through Springfield, Ohio, last year. He made the 36-hole cut in 2020 and 2021, tying for 58th at Winged Foot and 65th at Torrey Pines. Merritt has captured two events on the PGA Tour, the 2015 Quicken Loans National and 2018 Barbasol Championship. Born in Iowa and raised in Minnesota, Merritt has also won on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Taylor Pendrith, 32, of Canada, has played in two U.S. Opens. He tied for 23rd in 2020 at Winged Foot, his first major championship. He won twice on Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada in 2019 and is currently competing on the PGA Tour. Pendrith, who was teammates with fellow Canadian Corey Conners at Kent State University, tied for seventh in this year’s AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. His sister, Jennifer, is a superintendent at an Ontario country club.
Scott Piercy, 44, of Las Vegas, Nev., tied for second with Jim Furyk and Shane Lowry behind champion Dustin Johnson in the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. Piercy, who has played in eight Opens, has won four times on the PGA Tour, including the 2012 RBC Canadian Open, and twice on the Korn Ferry Tour. He played college golf at San Diego State before turning professional in 2001.
Sam Stevens, 26, of Eastborough, Kan., advanced to his first U.S. Open last year from the Springfield, Ohio, final qualifier. He tied for 49th at The Country Club, in Brookline, Mass. A third-generation professional, he has played on the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Latinoamerica. He was runner-up to Corey Conners in the PGA Tour’s Valero Texas Open on April 2. His grandfather, Johnny, played in the 1969 U.S. Open and was low amateur in the 1994 U.S. Senior Open.
Brian Stuard, 40, of Jackson, Mich., has played in seven U.S. Opens and advanced to the championship through the Springfield, Ohio, final qualifier each time. He was the medalist in 2013, 2014 and 2019. He shot 68-65 last year and was one of eight players to move forward from Springfield to The Country Club. Stuard won the PGA Tour’s Zurich Classic of New Orleans in a playoff in 2016.
Wyatt Worthington II, 36, of Reynoldsburg, Ohio, is a teaching professional at The Golf Depot at Central Park, in his home state. Worthington competes on the Advocates Professional Golf Association Tour and won his first event in Las Vegas on April 12, a two-stroke victory over Marcus Byrd. Worthington, who played in his third PGA Championship last month, is graduate of Methodist University’s PGA Golf Management Program.
Tacoma Country & Golf Club Lakewood, Wash.; 55 players for TBD spots
Daniel Campbell, 31, of Bellingham, Wash., was one of five players to advance from the Blaine, Wash., local qualifier on April 25 at Loomis Trail Golf Course. Campbell, who is the assistant professional at Bellingham Golf & Country Club, also competed in U.S. Open final qualifying in 2019. He recently won the Northwest Open by four strokes at The Home Course with a 54-hole score of 8-under 208. Campbell played at the University of the Fraser Valley in British Columbia.
Max Ennis, 17, of Eagle, Idaho, fired a 4-under 67 in the Kuna, Idaho, local qualifier on May 15 at Falcon Crest Golf Club. In 2022, he made three eagles en route to winning his second consecutive Idaho Junior Amateur (age 15-18 division). He won his first AJGA event, the Ping Heather Farr Classic, on April 9 with a 54-hole score of 11-under 202. Ennis captured the Class 5A state high school championship as a freshman in 2021 and was the runner-up the following year.
Brandon Eyre, 20, of Salem, Ore., was one of four players to advance in the Kuna, Idaho, local qualifier on May 15 at Falcon Crest Golf Club. Eyre is a sophomore on the Oregon State University team. He reached the Oregon Amateur’s semifinals and quarterfinals in 2021 and 2022, respectively. His father, James, is a oral surgeon and his mother, Holly, is a dental hygienist.
Max Herendeen, 18, of Bellevue, Wash., is a senior at Bishop Blanchet High School and was one of five players to advance from the Walla Walla, Wash., local qualifier. Herendeen, who will attend the University of Illinois this fall, won last year’s WIAA state championship and was chosen 2022 Washington Golf Junior Player of the Year. A four-time Metro Conference player of the year, he was the runner-up in last year’s Washington State Amateur.
Joe Highsmith, 23, of Lakewood, Wash., is competing on the Korn Ferry Tour, with his best finish a tie for fourth in The Panama Championship this season. He advanced to his first U.S. Open in 2021 after earning medalist honors in the Richland, Wash., final qualifier. Highsmith played at Pepperdine University, where he was a two-time All-America and three-time All-West Coast Conference selection. In 2017, Highsmith was the youngest player to win the Washington State Amateur.
Taehoon Song, 22, of the Republic of Korea, was the medalist with a 70 in local qualifying at Loomis Trail Golf Course on April 25. He tied for 20th in the Pac-12 Conference Championship as a junior on the University of Washington team in 2022-23. Song was chosen the top senior high school golfer by the Orange County Register while playing at Anaheim (Calif.) Discovery Christian.
Spencer Tibbits, 24, of Vancouver, Wash., shot a 68 in local qualifying at Falcon Crest Golf Club, in Kuna, Idaho, on May 15. He advanced through local and final qualifying to his lone U.S. Open in 2019 at Pebble Beach. Tibbits, who also reached match play in two U.S. Amateurs, was an All-West Region and All-Pac 12 Conference selection at Oregon State University. He ranks second in career top-10 finishes (14) at OSU and is a three-time state high school champion.
Ben Warian, 21, of Stillwater, Minn., was medalist in U.S. Open local qualifying for the second consecutive year. He recovered from a double bogey on the first hole to card a 67 at Somerby Golf Club, in Byron, Minn., on May 8. Warian tied for fifth in the Big Ten Conference Championship and earned all-conference honors as a junior at the University of Minnesota in 2022-23. He tied for 11th in the NCAA Bath Regional, the best finish by a Gopher in 12 years.
Noah Woolsey, 24, of Pleasanton, Calif., carded a 68 in local qualifying at The Club at Ruby Hill in his hometown on May 16. Woolsey, who has competed on Mackenzie Tour-PGA Tour Canada, won the Pac-12 Conference Championship as a senior at the University of Washington in 2021-22. Woolsey, who has played in three U.S. Amateurs, was chosen first team All-Pac-12 that same season when he posted five top-10 finishes.
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