A course record-tying round, a hole-in-one, late drama, and a 5-for-1 playoff headlined the action at Kinsale on Monday for the 2025 U.S. Open Final Qualifier.
Erik Van Rooyen's opening round of 64 (-8) tied the Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club course record. Van Rooyen went on to medal by six strokes at -13, the largest margin at an OGA-hosted U.S. Open Final Qualifier since Eric Axley's seven stroke margin in 2010.
Bud Cauley (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) came in as the highest ranked player (OWGR #56) in the field. Cauley delivered, as he birdied holes 11-14 during his second round to secure a tie for 2nd at -7.
Ohio's own
Justin Lower (Akron) qualified for the U.S. Open for a second consecutive year, finishing -7 overall. Lower was medalist at the U.S. Open Final Qualifier at The Ohio State University Golf Club a year ago.
Fellow PGA TOUR player
Lanto Griffin (Blacksburg, Va.) carded a five-under 31 on his second nine late Monday evening to finish -7 alongisee Lower and Cauley. Griffin will make his fifth appearance at the U.S. Open.
Harrison Ott, a former Vanderbilt University standout, was the lone finisher at -6. Ott, who has recently had status on PGA Tour Americas and PGA TOUR Canada, will look to use the major championship appearance as a stepping stone in his professional golf career.
The late drama surrounded a 5-for-1 playoff involving Rickie Fowler, Cameron Young, Max Homa, Chase Johnson, and Eric Cole. Hundreds of fans encircled the 10th green at Kinsale Golf & Club to watch the action.
Cameron Young, who has had plenty of recent major championship success, made the lone birdie on the first playoff hole to qualify for the U.S. Open.
After finding the fairway on the first playoff hole, Fowler missed the green left and failed to get up-and-down. Fowler was eliminated with bogey.
Homa, who carried his own bag for all of his 38 holes on Monday, four-putted the second playoff hole to be eliminated from the alternate position playoff. Johnson and Cole birdied to move to a third playoff hole.
Cole dropped a shot on the third playoff hole, and the first alternate spot went to Barbeton, Ohio native, Chase Johnson.
On June 9, anyone in the top-60 of the Offical World Golf Ranking will be qualified for the U.S. Open. With Cauley sitting at no. 56, the first alternate position may prove to be very valuable for Johnson.
The Ohio Golf Association would like to thank the entire staff and membership at Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club for being a great host to Monday's qualifier.
Good luck to all the qualifiers as they tee it up at Oakmont next Thursday!
RESULTS:
https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/5220778PHOTO GALLERY:
https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/52207832025 Ohio Golf Association USGA Qualifier event schedule
