U.S. Open 2022: Storylines to follow from each of golf’s longest-day section qualifying sites

The longest day in golf is finally upon us as the 2022 US Open qualifiers are scheduled for Monday. Amateur golfers, prominent college golfers, a former NFL player and mainstays of the PGA Tour will be participating, all of whom share the same hope of cementing their place in the field for the next generation. third major championship of the year.

While the event is an annual event and great stories are often produced, this summer is different as the US Open is coming to The Country Club at Brookline just outside of Boston. More than 100 years have passed since Francis Ouimet’s historic US Open victory, the 20-year-old Massachusetts living became the first amateur tennis player to win the national championship by defeating Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, two among the best players in the pro class, in an 18-hole playoff after all three were drawn by regulation.

It’s hard to fathom something like that happening today, but the game of golf has never been so profound. If someone wants to follow in Ouimet’s footsteps, they must first travel out of one of nine eligible locations that range from Florida to California, including one in northern Canada.

Here are some notable players participating from each qualifying site.

RattleSnake Point Golf Club – Milton, Ontario

• CT Pan: The Olympic bronze medalist will play at his sixth US Open. His best finish to date was a 45th draw at Merion in 2013. He brilliantly won the Memorial Tournament despite scoring 10 in Round 1, marking his seventh payday. his consecutive on the PGA Tour.

Olympic Club – San Francisco

• Maverick McNealy: The world number 81 has only been to the US Open twice and has failed to make it through in either case. He’s had a strong 2021-22 season with a runner-up finish at the Fortinet Championship and a top 10 finish at the Genesis Invitational, both in his home state of California.

Admiral’s Bay Club – Jupiter, Florida

• Alex Fitzpatrick: Matt Fitzpatrick’s younger brother Alex was a standout player at Wake Forest. While Matt will be the subject of conversations at The Country Club due to his 2013 US Amateur win, let’s not forget Alex was his caddy for that memorable week. He owns a lot of games as he ranks sixth in the PGA Tour College Rankings.
• Rickie Fowler: The 33-year-old has not competed at the US Open since 2020 but made it to the qualifying round after reaching four consecutive opening matches on the PGA Tour. One of those starts was a 23rd draw at the PGA Championship, where he impressed from tee to green.
• Matthew Wolff: It’s hard to believe this is where we are with 2020 runner-up, but Wolff has played very little in the last two years. He went through a long hiatus before last year’s championship at Torrey Pines and surprised many when he competed over the weekend and eventually finished with a draw in 15th place.

Ansley Golf Club – Roswell, Georgia

• Smylie Kaufman: He was last seen at the PGA Championship with a microphone in hand as the clubs betrayed him over the past few years. He missed his chance at the Puerto Rico Open in March and apart from his 2016 Masters hasn’t been able to get past any major championships. Even so, it would be nice to see Kaufman back in the mainstream as a player rather than a broadcaster.

Woodmont Country Club – Rockville, Maryland

• Harry Higgs: The post-Masters hangover was a brutal one for Higgs as he missed five of six cuts after finishing his T14 at Augusta National. He is yet to tee off in the national championship and his recent game suggests his debut may have to wait another year.

Century Country Club, Old Oaks Country Club – Buy, New York

• Haotong Li: The 36-hole lead from the 2020 PGA Championship has found some form on the DP World Tour the past few months. He finished sixth at the ISPS Handa Championship and hopes to play in the US Open for the first time in three years.
• Brandon Matthews: Bombing and hole punching was successful at the US Open and Matthews can easily use this as he is arguably the longest player in the world. I hope he catches some of the magic and qualifies as it will be a sight to see in a shorter venue like the Country Club.

Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club, Wedgewood Golf and Country Club – Columbus, Ohio

• Pierceson Coody and Cole Hammer: Members of the 2022 NCAA national championship team from the University of Texas, they will follow in the footsteps of Beau Hossler and Jordan Spieth as the Longhorns to make some noise at the US Open.
• Davis Riley: That’s a crime for which Riley must qualify. The Alabama product hasn’t been outside the top 20 on any charts for nearly two months and is a serious threat to winning Rookie of the Year. If he makes it through successfully, it will be his third time at the US Open.
• Padraig Harrington: European Ryder Cup captain from Whistling Straits Harrington performed well on the Champions Tour with two runners-up in May. He may be 50 years old, but he still has the match to compete with the best in the world as shown by his game in fourth place in the 2021 PGA Championship.

Springfield Country Club – Springfield, Ohio

• Danny Woodhead: Do you believe in miracles? Before NFL Backtracking has become a club in golf and if it were possible to play his way into our national championship, I’m not sure there would be a better story in the sports world all year. Out of the 871 players that entered the sectional qualifiers, he could be the one that all golf aficionados love.
• Sahith Theegala: Twice at the US Open, including last year at Torrey Pines, Theegala has since been on the PGA Tour. He finished strong at the Memorial Tournament and has a penchant for going extremely low, it should come as no surprise when he advances.

Pronghorn Resort – Bend, Oregon

• Joe Highsmith: A standout in the 2021 NCAA National Championships Pepperdine Waves, Highsmith won an honorary medal in the Oregon qualifiers last year. If he does so again, he will secure his spot behind Joel Dahmen as the best golfer from the Northwest to kick a bucket hat.