Cameron Young Secures a Spot in the US Open After Thrilling Playoff
In a day filled with ups and downs, Cameron Young showed his composure by securing a spot in the US Open. After a complicated day, Young achieved birdies on three of the last four holes, which allowed him to enter a 5-for-1 playoff. There, with a birdie from 12 feet, he secured his participation in the prestigious tournament that will be held in Oakmont in two weeks.
The excitement spread throughout the country, and even reached Canada, with 47 spots available at 10 qualifying sites to fill the field of the major, considered the toughest test in golf. Young advanced thanks to his decisive game, while Rickie Fowler was eliminated after a bogey.Young, who already faced a difficult year that forced him to participate in a 36-hole qualifier, made a birdie from 8 feet on the 15th hole, another on the par 5 of the 16th and then left his shot 18 inches from the final hole to secure his place in the playoff.
I feel like I proved something to myself today. For a long time today, I didn’t see anything go in.
Cameron Young
The playoff began on the 10th hole, where Young hit his driver into the left rough, but he knew how to perfectly judge his approach shot, leaving the ball 12 feet from the hole.
Erik van Rooyen led the leaderboard with a 64 at Kinsale and had no trouble securing his place in the US Open. He finished with a six-stroke lead over the rest of the field.I started my day here 12 hours ago and made a 3, so I tried again.
Cameron Young
- Bud Cauley
- Lanto Griffin
- Justin Lower
- Harrison Ott
Cauley, currently ranked 56th in the world, will likely remain in the top 60 after the Canadian Open, which will allow him to participate in the tournament. If this happens, Chase Johnson would get his first spot in the US Open.
In the other classification in Ohio, Zac Blair won a 4-for-1 playoff for the last spot, surpassing John Peterson.
The four places in the Florida classification were not completed due to a rain interruption.
Three of the five qualifying spots in Atlanta went to amateurs, with 17-year-old Mason Howell leading the way. The high school student played bogey-free for an 18-under-par 126. Also qualifying were Auburn’s Jackson Koivun and Tyler Weaver, a sophomore at Florida State.
The classifications in Toronto and North Carolina offered seven spots each. Thorbjorn Olesen of Denmark and Emiliano Grillo of Argentina were among the seven qualifiers in Canada, where Kevin Velo led the field. In North Carolina, Zach Bauchou led the seven players who managed to get into Oakmont.
Most LIV Golf players who tried to qualify, or considered doing so, competed for four spots in Maryland. Marc Leishman of Australia, who hasn’t qualified for a major in the last two years since joining LIV, edged out fellow LIV player Sebastian Muñoz to earn one of the four spots.
Fifteen LIV players were originally in the Maryland field. Five did not turn in scorecards when it became clear they would not make it, while five withdrew before it began, including Bubba Watson and Lee Westwood.
