U.S. Open Spots on the Line, Monday
ELMSFORD, N.Y. (May 31, 2024) – The road to the U.S. Open Championship once again goes through Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, N.J. On June 3, 72 players will have the opportunity to advance to the 124th playing of our national open, aiming to claim their spot at Pinehurst Resort’s Course No. 2 for the June 13-16 championship through Final Qualifying. The final number of qualifying positions will be announced the morning of June 3.
Related: Pairings & Starting Times | U.S. Open Home
The field contains 42 professionals, 29 amateurs, and one applicant for reinstatement, featuring past MGA winners and MGA Player of the Year honorees, as well as some of the country’s top amateurs, club professionals, and touring professionals.
Canoe Brook is one of 10 sites that host final qualifying on Monday. Nine take place across the United States with one contested in Canada. Final qualifying already took place in Japan; England; and Dallas, Texas on May 20, with PGA TOUR player Brandon Wu of Scarsdale, N.Y., advancing from Dallas. 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 and the Purchase, N.Y., sites of Old Oaks and Century every three years. This is the second consecutive year at Canoe Brook.
MGA Champions in the field
James Allen – 2020 Carter Cup
Mark Brown – 2016, 2013, 1999 Met Open
Ryan Davis – 2018 Met Amateur
Matt Dobyns – 2019 Met Open
Chris Gotterup* – 2019 Met Amateur
Tyler Hall – 1997 Boys’, 2011 Met Open
Brent Ito – 2014 Boys’
Ryan McCormick – 2012 Met Amateur
Michael Miller* – 2010 Met Junior
Luke Sample – 2022 Ike, 2020 Met Open, 2020 Met Junior, 2018 Boys’
Andy Svoboda* – 2021, 2018, 2003 Met Open; 2004 Met Amateur; 1997 Met Junior
Brad Tilley* - 2022 Met Amateur, 2019 MGA Mid-Amateur, 2003 Ike
* Denotes past MGA Player of the Year. Luke Sample and Cole Ekert were MGA Junior Player of the Year winners in 2020 and 2021, respectively.
A Familiar Road
Several players in the field have advanced to the U.S. Open through the Met Area before, with Christopher Crawford, Jim Herman, Andy Svoboda, Michael Thorbjornsen, and Michael Miller all doing so through Canoe Brook in recent years.
Christopher Crawford – 2016, 2017
Matt Dobyns – 2014*
Chris Gotterup – 2022*
Jim Herman – 2016, 2013*, 2012, 2010
Andy Svoboda – 2023, 2006
Michael Thorbjornsen – 2022*, 2023
Michael Miller – 2016, 2018
Zach Zaback – 2021*
* Denotes qualifying from Old Oaks/Century in Purchase, N.Y.
Another Major?
Professionals Andy Svoboda, in his first year at Butler National in Indiana, and Matthew Dobyns of Meadow Brook both competed in the PGA Championship in May and aim to advance to their second major of the season.
Comin’ Home
A trio of first-year PGA TOUR members will be in the Garden State aiming to add another special moment to their golf careers in their home state. Max Greyserman of Short Hills, N.J., recent PGA TOUR winner Chris Gotterup of Little Silver, N.J., and Ryan McCormick of Middletown, N.J., will all be in the field. Gotterup won the Myrtle Beach Classic in May and as of May 30, ranks 78th in the FedExCup. Greyserman stands 108th, making eight cuts with a tie for seventh in the Texas Children’s Houston Open and a tie for fourth in the Zurich Classic of New Orleans. McCormick ranks 162nd, his top finish coming with a tie for fourth in the Myrtle Beach Classic.
Amateur Power
The field includes two of the top-five ranked amateurs in the world, with past U.S. Junior Amateur champion Michael Thorbjornsen and Benjamin James of Milford, Conn., ranking No. 3 and No. 5, respectively in the World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) as of May 29. Thorbjornsen also recently earned his PGA TOUR card for when he turns professional, finishing No. 1 on the PGA TOUR University listing. Other notables include Michael La Sasso (No. 55) of Raleigh, N.C., and Luke Sample (No. 132) of New York, N.Y.
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 – Facebook, Instagram, X: @mga1897
• Additional web updates on mgagolf.org