Emerald Dunes Club, designed by Tom Fazio and opened in 1990, has long stood out in Florida’s golf-rich landscape for its pristine playing conditions, thoughtful routing, and commitment to championship-caliber golf. Its role as a U.S. Open Final Qualifying site reinforces its reputation as one of the top competitive venues in the region.
The U.S. Open Qualifying process is among the most grueling and democratic in sports. Each spring, thousands of players, ranging from seasoned professionals to rising amateurs, enter local qualifying events across the globe, with hopes of reaching final qualifying and ultimately earning a spot in the national championship. The 2025 U.S. Open will return to the storied Oakmont Country Club, one of golf’s most iconic and demanding venues.
Notable Players in the Field at Emerald Dunes Club
Graeme McDowell, 45, Northern Ireland
McDowell won the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach, becoming the first European champion in 40 years. He has competed in 15 U.S. Opens, with a runner-up finish in 2012. A former Walker Cup player and UAB All-American, McDowell has 15 worldwide victories and currently plays on the LIV Golf League.
Blades Brown, 18, Nashville, Tenn.
Brown advanced from U.S. Open local qualifying for the second straight year. After bypassing multiple college offers, he turned professional in January and debuted on the PGA Tour at The American Express. A 2024 U.S. Junior National Team member, Brown became the youngest stroke-play medalist in U.S. Amateur history at age 16 and joined Tiger Woods as one of only two players to medal in both the U.S. Amateur and U.S. Junior Amateur. His mother, Rhonda Blades Brown, is a former WNBA player and All-America guard at Vanderbilt.
Nicolai Hojgaard, 24, Denmark
Hojgaard burst onto the golf scene after being a standout member of the 2023 European Ryder Cup team. Him and his brother Rasmus won back-to-back weeks on the European Tour in 2021. He is currently ranked 98th in the Offical World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
Luke Poulter, 21, Orlando, Fla.
The son of 16-time U.S. Open participant Ian Poulter, Luke advanced from the Gainesville qualifier and tied for fourth at the NCAA Bremerton Regional. A sophomore at the University of Florida, he logged five top-10 finishes this season after overcoming a significant back injury in high school.
Neal Shipley, 24, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Shipley earned low amateur honors at both the 2024 U.S. Open (T-26) and The Masters (T-53). A former caddie at Oakmont and runner-up in the 2023 U.S. Amateur, he claimed his first Korn Ferry Tour title in April at the LECOM Suncoast Classic. He previously played at James Madison and Ohio State.
Brendan Valdes, 22, Orlando, Fla.
Valdes is attempting to qualify for the U.S. Open for the second year in a row after successfully advancing in 2023. A first-team All-American at Auburn, he has logged seven top-10 finishes in the 2024–25 season and was a U.S. Amateur quarterfinalist. He won the 2018 Drive, Chip & Putt title (14–15 division) at Augusta National.
Santiago de la Fuente, 23, Mexico
De la Fuente was co-medalist at the first-ever U.S. Open local qualifier in Mexico, held at Club de Golf La Hacienda. He captured the 2024 Latin America Amateur Championship with a closing 64 at Santa Maria Golf Club in Panama, earning a start at last year’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.
Brice Garnett, 41, Gallatin, Mo.
A two-time U.S. Open participant (2012, 2017), Garnett owns wins on four professional tours, including a 2024 PGA Tour title at the Puerto Rico Open. He first qualified for the U.S. Open by advancing through both stages in 2012. A former All-American at Missouri Western State University, he is a member of the school’s athletic hall of fame.
Gunnar Green, 19, Kissimmee, Fla.
Green shot 67 with 10 birdies to co-medal at the Glencoe, Ala., qualifier. He is the son of longtime PGA Tour caddie Damon Green, who worked with Zach Johnson and competed in three U.S. Senior Opens. Gunnar is set to transfer to the University of South Florida in 2025 after beginning his collegiate career at Central Alabama Community College.
Justin Hicks, 50, Wellington, Fla.
A veteran of six U.S. Opens, Hicks twice advanced through both stages (2004, 2008) and tied for 67th at Oakmont in 2016. He briefly shared the first-round lead in 2008 at Torrey Pines after opening with a 68. With 25 professional wins across five tours, Hicks now teaches the game in South Florida.
Jessy Huebner, 16, Port St. Lucie, Fla.
Huebner posted a bogey-free 67 to co-medal at the Palm Beach Gardens qualifier. A member of the U.S. National Junior Team, he won the 2023 Florida Junior Amateur and reached the Round of 32 at the U.S. Junior Amateur.
Matthew Marigliano, 14, West Palm Beach, Fla.
Marigliano advanced from the Wellington qualifier with a 67 that included six birdies. He won the 2023 U.S. Kids World Championship at Pinehurst No. 8 with rounds of 71-63-68 and owns two competitive rounds of 62.
This Final Qualifier is one of 10 U.S. Open Final Qualifiers held on Monday, June 2, with three others completed earlier on May 19 in England, Japan, and Texas. The US Open Final is one of 14 US Open Qualifiers and 54 overall USGA qualifiers conducted by the Florida State Golf Association (FSGA). The FSGA serves as the governing body of amateur golf in the state, an Allied Golf Association of the USGA. The FSGA conducts more than 600 tournament days each year, including state championships, USGA qualifiers, and junior events. The FSGA also provides course rating, handicap services, and support for educational and developmental programs that promote the game’s growth and uphold its traditions throughout Florida.
