Canoe Brook Welcomes U.S. Open Hopefuls, Monday
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (June 3, 2023) – A total of 67 players are scheduled to compete in Summit, N.J., on Monday, June 5, with hopes of advancing to the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at Los Angeles Country Club through Final Qualifying at Canoe Brook Country Club. The final number of qualifying positions will be announced Monday morning.
Related: Pairings & Starting Times | U.S. Open Home
The field contains 36 professionals and 31 amateurs and includes MGA and USGA champions, some of the country’s top amateurs, club professionals and touring professionals.
Canoe Brook stands as one of 10 sites that host final qualifying on Monday – with nine taking place across the United States and one in Canada. Final qualifying already took place in England on May 16 and both in Japan and Dallas, Texas on May 22. The number of qualifying spots for each final qualifier is determined by the size and strength of the field.
Final qualifying conducted by the MGA rotates between Canoe Brook Country Club and the Purchase, N.Y., sites of Old Oaks and Century every three years. Since final qualifying did not take place in 2020, this is the first year at Canoe Brook since 2018.
A Second Major this Season?
Met Area PGA professionals Alex Beach of Westchester Country Club and Chris Sanger of Woodstock Golf Club competed in the PGA Championship at Oak Hill last month and aim to advance to their second major of the season.
MGA Champions
Danny Balin – 2012 Met Open
Gregory Bisconti – 1990 Met Junior, 1988 Boys’
Christian Cavaliere – 2016 Met Junior
Ryan Davis – 2018 Met Amateur
Matt Dobyns – 2019 Met Open
Nathan Han – 2016, 2015 Boys’
Stewart Hagestad* – 2016 Met Amateur
Ryan McCormick – 2012 Met Amateur
Luke Sample – 2022 Ike, 2020 Met Open, 2020 Met Junior, 2018 Boys’
Andrew Svoboda* – 2021, 2018, 2003 Met Open; 2004 Met Amateur; 1997 Met Junior
Brad Tilley* – 2022 Met Amateur, 2019 MGA Mid-Am, 2003 Ike
Jack Wall – 2020 Met Amateur
* Denotes past MGA Player of the Year. James Nicholas (2017) and two-time MGA Junior Player of the Year Jack Wall (2018, 2019) are also in the field. Luke Sample was the 2020 MGA Junior Player of the Year.
Canoe Brook Confidence?
Five Met Area players competed at Canoe Brook in the 2019 Ike, which took place over three rounds on the North Course.
Nathan Han (3rd – 71-71-69—211)
Christian Cavaliere (T7th – 71-74-70—215)
James Nicholas (11th – 73-69-74—216)
Jack Wall (T15th – 73-72-73—218)
Brad Tilley (CUT – 75)
The Road to the U.S. Open
Plenty of players in the field have advanced to the U.S. Open through the Met Area before, with Christopher Crawford, Stewart Hagestad, Jim Herman and Andy Pope all doing so through Canoe Brook in recent years.
Players in the field who have advanced to the U.S. Open through the Met Area:
Christopher Crawford – 2017
Stewart Hagestad – 2018
Jim Herman – 2016, 2013*, 2012, 2010
Jamie Lovemark – 2015*
Brandon Matthews – 2022*
Matt Parziale – 2019*
Andy Pope – 2016, 2017, 2019*, 2021*
Michael Thorbjornsen – 2022*
Jim Renner – 2014*
* Denotes qualifying from Old Oaks/Century in Purchase, N.Y.
Family Momentum for McCormick?
Korn Ferry Tour player Ryan McCormick will be aiming to match his father’s recent success in a U.S. Senior Open qualifier. Mark McCormick, head golf professional at Suburban Golf Club in Union, N.J., shot 1-over 73 at Arcola Country Club on May 23 to advance earn his second career start in the U.S. Senior Open. After advancing, McCormick said he had planned to slow down his competitive playing, but Ryan has kept after him to keep competing.
Accomplished Amateurs
In addition to standout Met Area amateurs, the field includes four of the top-15 ranked amateurs in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, with Michael Thorbjornsen, Ben James, Caleb Surrat, and Derek Hitchner hot off their respective college seasons. Hitchner was born in Summit, N.J., and advanced to the semifinal of the U.S. Amateur last year at nearby Ridgewood Country Club. Meanwhile, Hagestad is aiming to advance to his home course of Los Angeles Country Club for his fifth career U.S. Open appearance. He made the cut and finished 64th last year at The Country Club.
World Amateur Golf Ranking
3. Michael Thorbjornsen
7. Benjamin James
11. Caleb Surrat
15. Stewart Hagestad
33. Derek Hitchner
Tour Pro Depth
Notable professionals in the field include three-time PGA TOUR winner Jim Herman, who was once an assistant professional at nearby Trump National Bedminster; 2011 Walker Cup team member Kelly Kraft; PGA TOUR player Brandon Matthews who tied 60th last year at the U.S. Open in his first professional major; five-time U.S. Open qualifier Andy Pope; LIV Golf member Cameron Tringale, whose best career major finish came in last year’s U.S. Open where he tied 14th.
Coverage
• Multiple scoring updates for the morning 18, followed by live, hole-by-hole scoring for the majority of groups for the final 18 holes in the afternoon.
• Coverage on MGA social media – Instagram & Twitter: @mga1897
• Additional web updates on mgagolf.org