BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. – Fifty players began the day on Monday fighting for a spot in the 123rd U.S. Open Championship. Forty-three holes later, three players are headed to Los Angeles Country Club.
Austen Truslow, Brendan Valdes and Carlos Ortiz advanced to the U.S. Open through final qualifying, conducted by the Florida State Golf Association, at Pine Tree Golf Club.
It will be the first U.S. Open Championship for Truslow and Valdes. Truslow earned medalist honors, while Valdes was the Low-Amateur.
Truslow secured medalist honors with a 5-under 135 for the 36-hole qualifier. He started the day with a 4-under 66 to take the first-round lead. He finished the first round with five birdies to take a one-shot lead over the field.
The New Smyrna Beach native kept it going in the second round, playing his first nine bogey free with three birdies. Truslow holed out from the fairway on the 10th for eagle. Running into some trouble to finish the day, Truslow held strong and finished with a 1-under 69 to secure his spot at the U.S. Open.
Valdes punched his ticket to Los Angeles Country Club with a 3-under 137. The Auburn Tiger started the day with a 1-under 69, carding three birdies and sitting three shots off Truslow. Valdes got off to a solid start in the final round, playing his first 11 holes at 2 under.
After a double bogey on the 14th hole, Valdes bounced back quickly with birdies on the 16th and 17th to move back to 3 under. He finished with a par on the 18th to lock up a spot in his first U.S. Open Championship.
A seven-hole playoff would decide who took the final qualifying spot. Carlos Ortiz, Luis Gagne and Wesley Bryan all finished the final round at 2-under 138. Bryan was eliminated from the playoff with Ortiz and Gagne moving on with a birdie. It would take three more holes for Ortiz to advance, birdieing the seventh playoff hole.
