TAMPA, Fla. – The road to the 124th U.S. Open Championship began this week with three of the first 14 local qualifiers happening. Professional and amateur golfers alike tee it up in.png)
hopes of making it to this year’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in Pinehurst, North Carolina.
Once making it through Local Qualifying, players get the opportunity to play in the Final Qualifier to have a chance at playing in the U.S. Open. Final Qualifying is set to be held at ten golf courses throughout the United States, as well as one golf course in Canada, England, and Japan, respectively.
The state of Florida will host one of the ten Final Qualifiers, taking place at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter. Players that made it through local qualifying will join those who have already earned exemptions into the final stage. Once making it through 18 holes at Local Qualifying and 36 holes at Final Qualifying, the top finishers will see their names added to the 156-player field at the 124th U.S. Open. Below are the qualifiers from the U.S. Open Qualifying Sites.
Wellington National Golf Club
Gavin Clements (a) of Franklin, Tenn. – Medalist
As the amateur medalist at Wellington National Golf Club, Clements carded a 34-34 68 (-4) to lead the field in qualifying. Coming off of his redshirt Senior year at Middle Tennessee University, Clements was one of three amateur golfers to move onto Final qualifying out of Wellington National.
Jonathan Bale (a) of Wales
With five birdies and two bogeys, Jonathan Bale secured a 69 (-3) finish and his spot in Final US Open qualifying. Bale currently sits at 399th on the World Amateur Golf Rankings with five top 10 finishes in his 11 events of the last year.
Sohan Patel (a) of Weston, Fla.
Patel fired five birdies and three bogeys to finish at 70 (-1). The 2027 high school grad and Team Florida member has a current rank of 82 on the Rolex AJGA Rankings and 103 on the Junior Golf Scoreboard Rankings.
Pontus Nyholm of Sweden
In a two-way tie for the final spot at Local Qualifying at Wellington National Golf Club, Nyholm recorded a one-under par round of 71 (-1) with three birdies and one double bogey. The Campbell University Grad currently sits at 71st on the Korn Ferry Tour.
Justin Thompson of Wellington, Fla.
Closing out the two-way tie for fourth- and the final advancing spot in US Open Qualifying out of Wellington National Golf Club, Thompson played fifteen holes at even par, making two birdies and one bogey to shoot 71 (-1) on the day. The 2016 South Florida PGA Player of the Year represents Pine Tree Golf Club as their Head Golf Professional in Final US Open Qualfying.
The Plantation at Ponte Vedre Beach
Lukas Guthrie of Quincy, Ill – Co-Medalist
In a two-way tie for Medalist at the Plantation at Ponte Vedre Beach qualifying site, Guthrie lit up the leaderboard with eight birdies to card a 65 (-7). To date, Guthrie has made 114 of 234 cuts on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour combined. On the PGA Tour, Guthrie has a third place finish, three top 5s and seven top 10 finishes.
Andrew Riley (a) of Palm Coast, Fla. – Co-Medalist
Posting a card with zero bogeys, Riley made seven birdies to tie as Medalist with a 65 (-7). This upcoming year, Riley will be playing as a senior for the University of North Florida Ospreys, having been the NCAA D-II Individual Champion in 2023 and qualifying for the 2023 U.S. Amateur.
Clay Amlung of Louisville, Ky.
Claiming the third qualifying spot at The Plantation at Ponte Vedre Beach, Amlung posted a 34 on the front nine and 32 on the back to come in at 66 (-1) on the day. Qualifying for the US Open would not be his first appearance at a USGA Championship at Pinehurst, having played in the U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst in 2019.
John Daniel Culbreth (a) of Thomasville, Ga.
In a two-way tie for the final qualifying spots at the qualifying location, Culbreth came back from two bogeys on the front to shoot 32, with four birdies on the back and post a 68 (-4). Culbreth sits at 29 on the Rolex AJGA Rankings, and has verbally committed to playing for the University of Georgia following his high school graduation in 2025.
Connor Howe (a) of Ogden, Utah
Howe’s scorecard was colorful on his way to shooting 68 (-4) and claim his spot as T-4 in this stage of U.S. Open Qualifying. On the fifth hole, Howe recorded an eagle, but then saw a double on the 16th. Having started in fourteen events on the Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Canada since turning pro in 2023, Howe has made eight cuts, was runner up once, and placed in the top 5 once.
Seminole Legacy Golf Club
Frederik Kjettrup (a) of Denmark – Medalist
Playing the first nine holes of the round four under par, Kjettrup made a hot start on his way to Medalist and a 68 (-4) finish at his qualifying site. Kjettrup is ranked 14th on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, top five on PGA Tour University, and is looking forward to leading the FSU Seminoles to the NCAA Championship.
Josep Maria Serra Busquet (a) of Spain
The second of five amateurs to claim all five qualifying spots at the Seminole Legacy Golf Club, Serra answered a one-over-par 37 on the front by firing four birdies on the back to finish at 69 (-3). Serra joined the Mississippi State University Bulldogs in the 2023-2024 season, where he made his DI postseason debut at the SEC Championship. Prior to joining the Bulldogs, Serra was a decorated player at Nova Southeastern University.
Zach Adams (a) of Charleston, S.C.
In a two-way tie for second at Seminole Legacy Golf Club, Adams saw all pars on the front nine and three birdies on the back in his qualifying round, shooting 69 (-3). A rising junior at the University of South Carolina, Adams has played in one USGA Championship to date; the 2022 U.S. Amateur Championship in New Jersey.
Thomas Ponder (a) of Dothan, Ala.
Firing a pair of 35s on the front and back of his round, Ponder claimed his spot in a tie for fourth and the final qualifying spot at the site with a 70 (-2). A decorated Alabama alum, Ponder finished 36th in the SEC Championship in 2024 (his third appearance at the event) and played in the U.S. Amateur in 2023 and 2022.
Patrick McCann (a) of Tallahassee, Fla.
Rounding out the group of amateurs advancing to Final Qualifying from the Seminole Legacy site, McCann battled back from a 37 on the front with three birdies on the back to card a 70 (1), securing his spot in the tie for 4th. McCann joins his Florida State University teammate, Kjettrup, as they advance to Final Qualifying.
Kensington Golf & Country Club
Thomas Lilly of Wilmington, N.C. – Medalist
Lilly came out firing recording one eagle and six birdies to finish his day with a 63 (-8) on day one of the U.S. Open Qualifier. Lilly graduated from University of North Carolina-Wilmington in 2017, and turned pro the very same year.
Brendon Doyle of Louisville, KY
Trailing Lilly by one stroke (-7), Doyle recorded one eagle and five birdies to claim second place on day one at Seminole Legacy Golf Club. Doyle appeared in 11 PGA TOUR Latinoamérica tournaments during the 2023 season.
Thomas Longbella of Chippewa Falls, WI
Longbella posted a bogey-free scorecard shooting 65 (-6) and claim his spot as T-3 on day one. Longbella currently sits at 552nd on the Official World Golf Ranking. Longbella made his apperance in the 117th Visa Argentina Open and Astara Chile Classic, both in March of 2024.
Tyler Strafaci of Davie, Fla.
Florida native, Tyler Strafaci, fired seven birdies and one bogey to round out the day at -6 for a two-way tie for third place. In 2020, Strafaci captured the U.S. Amateur Championship after battling his way through an early 5-down deficit. In 2021, prior to receiving his pro card, Lilly was a member of the winning America Walker Cup team.
Ryan Celano of Naples, Fla.
Celano clinched the number five qualifying spot with 5 birdies to finish his day with a 66 (-5). Celano, a decorated University of Flordia alumni, has two wins on the Minor League Golf Tour. His most revent victory is thanks to his back nine score of 29, with one eagle and five birdies, to win by one over Austin Hitt.
The Legacy Golf & Tennis Club
Michael Buttacavoli (A/R) of Miami Beach, Fla. – Medalist
Buttacavoli surged ahead from the start with an eagle on the fourth hole. His performance culminated in a finish of 69 (-3), solidifying his spot in the Final US Open qualifying round. The Florida native showcased his talent throughout his apperances on the Korn Ferry Tour, PGA Tour Latinoamérica, and NGA Pro Golf Tour.
Mark Brown of Hobe Sound, Fla.
Finishing at one under for a three-way tie at 2nd place, Brown carded one bogey on the front nine and two birdies on the back. Brown finished runner-up at the 2000 PGA Professional Championship, losing a five-hole playoff to Tim Thelen at Oak Tree Golf Club in Edmond, Oklahoma. Brown also served as the PGA Head Professional at Tam O'Shanter Golf Club in Brookville, New York.
Justin Allen of Canada
Allen finished his day with four birdies and three bogeys for a final score of 71 (-1) to place him in the three-way tie for second place. Allen graduted from Guelph University in Ontario where he was 2017 Player of the Year for Weston G&CC and the Guelph team. Most recently, in 2023, Allen finished third overall at the Canadian Nationals.
Chris Ingham of Miami, Fla.
Ingham's colorful scorecard, containing only five holes at even par, clinched him a spot as T-2 in this stage of U.S. Open Qualifying. Ingham came out hot, with a birdie on hole one and an eagle on hole two. Ingham attended the University of Mississippi
Jonah Wasserstrom (a) of Hollywood, Fla.
With Florida residents lighting up the leaderboard, Wasserstrom of Hollywood, Florida shot even par to clinch the 5th qualifying spot. Wasserstrom was co-medalist at the US Mid-Amateur Championship in August of 2023 and made the qualifying cut in the US Amateur Championship in July of 2023.
Lost Key Golf Club
Christian Bosso of Pensacola, Fla. - Co-Medalist
Finishing in a two-way tie for first at the first qualifying event of the year, Bosso posted a round of 68 (-3). After bogeying his first hole, the Pensacola professional proceeded to make five birdies and just one bogey to finish at 3 under. The Assistant Men’s Golf Coach at the University of West Florida is looking forward to moving onto Final Qualifying.
Jonathan Hardee – Co-Medalist
Also co-medaling at Lost Key, Hardee fired a round of 68 (-3). Hardee saw a rocky start to the round with two bogeys in the first three holes, but proceeded to birdie five of the next eight. Carding a 33 on the back nine placed him in the tie for first. A graduate of the University of Alabama, Hardee finished in the top ten at one of nine starts in his most recent season (2022) on the PGA Tour Canada, and has made two career cuts as a professional.
Mission Resort + Club – El Campeon
Willie Mack of Orlando, Fla. – Co-Medalist
Firing four birdies on the first nine, Mack carded a 3-under-par 32 to set the tone for qualifying at Mission Resort + Club. He followed that up with three more birdies on the back to finish at 67 (-5) and Co-Medalist. A 13-year veteran of the PGA Tour, Korn Ferry Tour and PGA Tour Latinoamerica, Mack has started in 34 events and made 13 career cuts.
Jake Peacock (a) of Milton, GA. – Co-Medalist
One of two amateurs to qualify out of the Mission Resort + Club site, Peacock carded no bogeys in his first eleven holes of play. A bogey and a double bogey on the back nine meant that he would have to put up eight birdies to secure his spot as Co-Medalist, shooting 67 (-5). At 222 on the World Amateur Golf Rankings, Peacock is looking forward to regionals with the chance of going to the NCAA Championship.
Nolan Harper (a) of Saint Augustine, Fla.
In a three-way tie for third at 68 (-4), Harper saw four birdies and no bogeys in his round at Mission Resort + Club. The 18 year old has signed his National Letter of Intent with Florida Gulf Coast University for the 2024-2025 season after a successful junior career, currently sitting at 125 on the Rolex Rankings.
Kevin Andre Wright of Norway
Firing five birdies and one bogey, Wright joined Harper as a qualifier at their site with a 68 (-4). A veteran of the PGA Tour Canada and PGA Tour Latinoamerica, the 28 year old turned pro in 2015, with a 68.92 scoring average for four events recorded in the European Golf Rankings.
Roberto Nieves of Puerto Rico
After bogeying the first and 17th holes of play, Nieves posted a 68 (-4) with six birdies to solidify is spot as one of five qualifiers out of Mission Resort + Club. A graduate student playing for the University of Pepperdine in the 2022-2023 season, Nieves also posted scores on the PGA Tour at the Puerto Rico Open- his second appearance at the event.
Marsh Creek Country Club
Danny Walker of Bradenton, Fla. – Medalist
Coming of the first tee hot with a birdie, Walker would go on two make two more on the first nine, and three on the back nine totaling six birdies on the day and securing a 66 (-6). Walker, a University of Virgina alumni, saw 10 top-10 career finished as his time as a Cavalier. Walker turned pro in 2018 and holds an Official Work Golf Ranking of 619th.
Blake Henriques (a) of Ballground, GA.
Henriques fired off a score of 68 (-4) for second place, solidifying Final Qualifying spot. Henriques is a decorated collegiate athlete, where he has four wins and eight top-10 finishes. Henriques was also named the 2022 Full Moon BBQ Invitational Medalist and the 2022 UWG Matt Dyas Invitational Medalist. Henriques played in ten tournaments his freshman year, averaging a score of 71.52. Henriques is building momentum, tranfesrring to Division I program University of North Alabama.
Kevin Aylwin of New Smyrna Beach, Fla.
Daniel Robinson of Seminole, Fla.
Billy Hemstock of Saint Augustine, Fla.
Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club
