Local Qualifying: 124th U.S. Open Championship
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (April 22, 2024) -- Each year, thousands of U.S. Open hopefuls begin their quest to tee it up in the national open by competing in local qualifying rounds. Players this year have their eyes set on Pinehurst Resort & Country Club's Course No. 2, which welcomes the 124th U.S. Open Championship, June 13-16.
Related: U.S. Open Home Page
The MGA this year will conduct five local qualifying rounds between April 29 and May 13. Overall, local qualifying, which is conducted over 18 holes, will take place at 109 sites in 44 U.S. states and Canada between April 22 and May 20. For the second straight year and third time ever, the USGA accepted more than 10,000 entries for the USGA.
"The U.S. Open's two-stage qualifying process is unique among major championships in that it provides thousands of professional and amateur golfers worldwide an opportunity to earn a place in the 156-player field," said USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer.
Players advancing from local qualifying will then compete alongside a group of locally exempt players in final qualifying. The MGA will conduct one of nine final qualifiers held in the United States on June 3, doing so at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, N.J., where competitors will play one round on both the North Course and South Course. Final qualifying will also be held in England and Japan (May 20), and Canada (June 3), with one additional U.S. final qualifier taking place on May 20 in Dallas, Texas.
Last year's qualifying process provided plenty of exciting highlights, including locals Christian Cavaliere and Andrew Svoboda advancing to Los Angeles Country Club, and we look forward to following storylines as players aim to achieve the lifelong dream of competing in the U.S. Open. Be sure to keep an eye on this page throughout local qualifying for recaps, results, and more.
April 29 - Cold Spring Country Club, Huntington, N.Y.
It was Aman Gupta of Palm Beach, Fla., who posted the low round of the day and claimed medalist honors. Six birdies and two bogeys propelled him up the leaderboard to finish with a 4-under 67. Finishing just one shot back was amateur Lewis Wright of Greenvale, N.Y., and Vincent Venard of Port Washington, N.Y. Both players carded a 3-under 67 in a tie for second place. Following them were a handful of golfers tied at 2-under par. This lead to a six-for-four playoff with amateurs Jimmy Zeng of Auckland, New Zealand, Luke Sample of New York, N.Y., and Dean Muratore of Dix Hills, N.Y., as well as professional John Mackie of Bellport, N.Y., moving on to final qualifying. John Guyton of Rockville Center, N.Y., earned first alternate while Griffen Lawler of Westport, Conn., took second alternate.
Results
May 2 - Whippoorwill Club, Armonk, N.Y.
James Nicholas of Scarsdale, N.Y., captured medalist honors behind a 5-under 65 at The Whippoorwill Club, where he won the Westchester Open just last summer. Nicholas started on No. 10 with a birdie. After nine consecutive pars, he converted four birdies over his final eight holes to propel himself to the top of the leaderboard. Pietro Bovari of Italy used five birdies between Nos. 10-16 en route to his 4-under 66, while Joshua Lee of Jacksonville, Fla., and Eric Rheem of Levittown, N.Y., both carded 3-under 67s. Amateur Brad Tilley of Easton, Conn., made three birdies over his final seven holes to advance to final qualifying. In a 4-for-3 playoff, Andrew Kozan of Jupiter, Fla., and Craig Stefureak of Canada made birdie on the second hole to advance, while Jack Maguire of Ridgefield, Conn., and a Whippoorwill member, made par on the third to secure the final spot. Andre Chi of Flushing, N.Y., and Chris Trout of White Plains, N.Y., collected first and second alternate positions, respectively.
Results
May 6 - Fairmount Country Club, Chatham, N.Y.
After an overcast morning Raul Pereda of St. Augustine, Fla., and Kyle Sterbinsky of Jupiter, Fla., took home co-medalist honors after finishing with matching 4-under 67s. Sterbinsky posted a bogey-free round with four birdies while Pereda recorded three birdies and an eagle along with one bogey. In solo third place was 2021 MGA Junior Player of the Year Cole Ekert of Chatham, N.J. Ekert, who plays out of Fairmount, shot a 3-under 68 to punch his ticket to final qualifying. Finishing in a tie for fourth was Cameron Harlock of Auckland, Mass., and Sm Lee of Suwanne, Ga., at 2-under par. The final qualifying spot was determined by a playoff between Ryan Rittberger of Huntington, N.Y., and Matthew Cowgill of Weston, Mass. Cowgill won on the second playoff hole. Rittberger took first alternate. The second alternate was also determined by a playoff with Eric Lefante of Mendham N.J., taking the position.
Results
May 9 - Crestmont Country Club, West Orange, N.J.
A duo of golfers came to top the leaderboard in a deep field in West Orange. Brent Ito of New Rochelle, N.Y. and Chris Crawford of Bensalem, Pennsylvania earned co-medalist honors after shooting a 5-under 67. Ito set the mark to match after carding a opening nine 34 which included an eagle. The birdies kept coming on the back nine to finish with 33 for a total of 67. Crawford would match Ito after posting a 32 on the front nine and a 35 on the back nine. Josh Goldenberg of Scarsdale, N.Y. and Tony Perla of Mount Holly, N.J. would both finish one back at 4-under par. Following them was the trio of Luis Fernando Barco of Lima Peru, Wenliang Xie of South Orange, N.J. and Tyler Hall of Wayne, N.J. who all finished at 3-under par. The final qualifying spot was decided in a seven-man playoff. Sam Goldenring of Florham Park, N.J. Claimed the final spot in the playoff.
Results
May 13 - Country Club of Darien, Darien, Conn.
In what proved to be a difficult day at the Country Club of Darien, Michael Miller of Brewster, N.Y. blitzed the field, carding a bogey free round of -5/66. He made five birdies on the day en route to finishing three shots clear of second to secure medalist honors. Jackson Buccigross of South Windsor, CT made six birdies and shot -2/69 to finish second. Paul Pastore of Stamford, CT and Joe Monte of Nowalk, CT both shot -1/70. The final four qualifying positions were determined in a 6 for 4 playoff, which began on the 10th hole. On the first playoff hole, Arthur Ouimet of Manchester, CT made birdie to claim the fifth of eight qualifying spots. On the third playoff hole, John Bushka of Stratford, CT made birdie to claim the sixth qualifying spot. On the final playoff hole, James Allen of Scarsdale, N.Y. and Philip Risman of Greenwich, CT earned the final two spots.