Latest news with #U.S.Mid-Amateur
USA Today
09-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Meet the 15 amateurs playing in the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club
Meet the 15 amateurs playing in the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club Nearly 10 percent of the field at the 2025 U.S. Open is comprised of amateurs. When the 125th edition of the U.S. Golf Association's national championship gets underway Thursday at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, there will be 15 amateurs in the field. Josele Ballester, the 2024 U.S. Amateur champion, is also teeing it up, but he turned pro last week and joined LIV Golf. There remain plenty of notable ams teeing it up, including the No. 1 in the world, the NCAA individual champion and numerous qualifiers, too. The 15 amateurs competing in 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Evan Beck Beck had a dominant 9-and-8 victory in the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur, punching his ticket to his first U.S. Open start. Trevor Gutschewski The son of Scott Gutschewski and Florida commit, Trevor won the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur and will make his first start at the U.S. Open. Frankie Harris Harris, who will be a senior at South Carolina, advanced through local and final qualifying to earn his first start at the U.S. Open. Justin Hastings Hastings recently finished his college career at San Diego State, and he earned his spot at Oakmont thanks to winning the 2025 Latin America Amateur Championship. Mason Howell Howell, the 17-year-old Georgia commit, dominated final qualifying in Atlanta, shooting 18 under over 36 holes to tie for medalist honors. Ben James James is making his second straight U.S. Open start after advancing through qualifying at Canoe Brook Country Club, where he qualified in 2024, too. Noah Kent Kent, who transferred to Florida from Iowa over the winter, is making his first U.S. Open start thanks to his runner-up finish at the U.S. Amateur. Jackson Koivun The top-ranked amateur in the world advanced via final qualifying at Piedmont Driving Club in Atlanta, Georgia, and is making his first appearance. Michael La Sasso La Sasso locked up his first major championship start after winning the NCAA individual title last month at Omni La Costa. Bryan Lee The rising senior at Virginia punched his ticket to the U.S. Open after advancing through the Woodmont Country club qualifier. Zachary Pollo Pollo advanced through local and final qualifying, helping the rising senior at Arizona punch his ticket for Oakmont. Lance Simpson Simpson, a rising junior at Tennessee, shot 8 under at Bent Tree Country Club qualifier in Dallas to earn his first U.S. Open start. Cameron Tankersley The junior at Ole Miss also advanced from the Dallas qualifier at Bent Tree, and it will be his U.S. Open debut. Matt Vogt One of the best stories of the U.S. Open, Vogt is a dentist by day and will make his debut at Oakmont after advancing through local and final qualifying. Tyler Weaver Weaver, a sophomore at Florida State, advanced via the Piedmont Driving Club qualifier in Atlanta and will make his major debut at Oakmont.
Newsweek
03-06-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Golfer DQ'd From US Open Qualification Due to a Hot Dog
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Golf's longest day is meant to be a brutal one. Each player grinds through 36 holes for a punch-in ticket to the U.S. Open, one of golf's most prestigious tournaments, where Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus created history time and again. But while some fought tooth and nail to secure their place, one golfer saw his dream slip away—not because of a bad round, but because of a hot dog. Nick Barrett, a 31-year-old UPS driver from Maryland, had been on the brink of something special. He previously reached the final qualifying stage for the 2023 U.S. Open and had advanced to the Round of 32 in the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur. This year, he was back at Woodmont Country Club, determined to make it to Oakmont. His first round score of 73, capped off with a birdie on the 18th hole, had kept him in contention. 2025 U.S Open Qualifier: Golfer Disqualified from U.S. Open Qualification Over a Hot Dog. (Image Collage | Credits: Getty Images) 2025 U.S Open Qualifier: Golfer Disqualified from U.S. Open Qualification Over a Hot Dog. (Image Collage | Credits: Getty Images) Getty Images But then, it was just a moment of distraction, and all the hard work got dumped in the sand. After finishing his round, Barrett, surrounded by 40 friends and family members, made a critical mistake. Instead of heading to the scorer's tent with his playing partners, he went to grab a bite to eat. It wasn't until he stood up after lunch that he realized his scorecard was still in his back pocket. "I stood up after I had a hot dog or something at lunch, and I felt my back pocket, and I felt the scorecard in there, and as soon as I did that, my heart went straight to the bottom of my stomach," Barrett admitted. Nick Barrett, a 31-year-old UPS driver from Catonsville, advanced to the final stage of U.S. Open qualifying with a bogey-free 68 at Northwest Golf Course on May 5. Barrett will play 36 holes at Woodmont Country Club on Monday — in a field that includes two-time Masters champion… — The Baltimore Sun (@baltimoresun) May 30, 2025 By the time he rushed to the tent, 20 minutes had passed, and the officials had already moved on. His playing partners had waited as long as they could before signing their cards, but once the next group arrived, Barrett's fate was sealed with straightaway disqualification. Later, the 31-year-old expressed in frustration: "It's really upsetting to go out like that because it wasn't anything I did on the course or because I signed something wrong." He added, "I just got caught up in the moment. That was my responsibility, and I just didn't do it." Barrett felt he had a real shot at making it through. "I'm not saying I was going to go out there and shock the world, but I was feeling a lot better after playing the first round. It's just a real shame that I couldn't go back out there." While the 31-year-old made a gut-wrenching mistake, other big names, too, saw their U.S. Open dreams slip away. PGA Tour's Rickie Fowler and Max Homa missed out after falling short in a 5-way playoff won by Cameron Young, proving that nothing is expected when it comes to U.S Open qualification. Even the biggest names aren't immune to the brutal nature of golf's longest day. More Golf: US Women's Open: Lexi Thompson Fires Back amid Slow Play Controversy
New York Post
03-06-2025
- General
- New York Post
UPS driver disqualified from US Open qualifier for gut-wrenching mistake
A 31-year-old UPS driver was cruising through the first 18 holes of a U.S. Open qualifier, only to get disqualified for an error off the course in Rockville, Md., on Monday. Nick Barrett of Catonsville was disqualified from a qualifying event at Woodmont Country Club for not signing his scorecard within a certain allotted time. During an interview with the Baltimore Sun, Barrett recalled the sinking feeling that overcame him when he realized his scorecard was still in his back pocket during a lunch break after shooting a 73 while at the midpoint of what was supposed to be a 36-hole day. 'I stood up after I had a hot dog or something at lunch, and I felt my back pocket, and I felt the scorecard in there, and as soon as I did that, my heart went straight to the bottom of my stomach,' he said. Barrett, who had about 40 family members and friends supporting him at the event, showed up at the scorer's tent to sign his scorecard about 20 minutes after his round had ended, and the officials had ruled him disqualified. 'It's kind of hard to express, but just disappointment in myself because at the end of the day, it is my responsibility as a player. I can't blame anybody but me,' he said. 'It's just a total gut punch.' His playing partners, Cole Miller, of New Tripoli, Pa., and Jason Li, of Sewickley, Pa., signed their scorecards on time and waited for Barrett at the scorers' tables, but he never showed up, according to the Baltimore Sun. 'It's really upsetting to go out like that because it wasn't anything I did on the course or because I signed something wrong,' Barrett said. 'I just got caught up in the moment. That was my responsibility, and I just didn't do it.' Barrett tallied an even-par 35 through his first nine holes, and he opened the back nine with a birdie on the par-5 10th. Nick Barrett was disqualified from a U.S. Open qualifier for not signing his scorecard quickly enough. Getty Images 'I was starting to feel a little bit more comfortable with my game,' he said. 'I'm not saying I was going to go out there and shock the world, but I was feeling a lot better after playing the first round. It's just a real shame that I couldn't go back out there.' Barrett added that his mistake is a teachable moment. 'If people hear this, for me specifically, I can take this as a learning experience,' he said. 'I've never had a problem with rules in the past, and it only takes one time for you to feel this way to never want to feel it again.' Nick Barrett is a 31-year-old UPS driver. Tada Images – Barrett shot a bogey-free round of 68 in the first round of U.S. Open qualifying at Northwest Golf Course in Silver Spring on May 5 to reach this stage He advanced to the Round of 32 in the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur and reached the final qualifying stage for the U.S. Open in 2023.
USA Today
03-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
UPS driver DQ'ed from U.S. Open final qualifying for boneheaded scorecard mistake
UPS driver DQ'ed from U.S. Open final qualifying for boneheaded scorecard mistake Nick Barrett didn't qualify for the U.S. Open at Oakmont on Monday but he's in contention for one of the bonehead moves of the year in golf. Barrett, a 31-year-old UPS driver from Catonsville, Maryland, posted 73 in the first round at Woodmont Country Club, his final stage of qualifying, and then forgot to sign his scorecard in the allotted time. The result? Disqualification. According to Monday Q Info's Ryan French and the Baltimore Sun's Edward Lee, Barrett didn't remember to return his scorecard to the scorer's tent until 20 minutes after finishing his round. By then, it was ruled too late. Barrett accepted that he was responsible for the mistake. 'It's really upsetting to go out like that because it wasn't anything I did on the course or because I signed something wrong,' he said. 'I just got caught up in the moment. That was my responsibility, and I just didn't do it.' 'I was starting to feel a little bit more comfortable with my game,' he added. 'I'm not saying I was going to go out there and shock the world, but I was feeling a lot better after playing the first round. It's just a real shame that I couldn't go back out there.' Barrett previously reached the final qualifying stage for the U.S. Open in 2023 and advanced to the Round of 32 in the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur. Barrett had advanced through local qualifying by shooting 68 on May 5. 'If people hear this, for me specifically, I can take this as a learning experience,' he said. 'I've never had a problem with rules in the past, and it only takes one time for you to feel this way to never want to feel it again.'
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Long-hitting Massa, aka 'Bobby Speed,' among Byron Nelson qualifiers
When it comes to hitting bombs, Aldrich Potgieter could get a run for his money this week outside of Dallas. Potgieter is the PGA Tour's current leader in average driving distance (324.1 yards) entering the CJ Cup Byron Nelson at TPC Craig Ranch in McKinney, Texas. But 37-year-old Bobby Massa, one of four Monday qualifiers, has some serious speed, too. Advertisement Massa is a sports performance coach from Dallas who has recently become one of the top mid-amateurs in the world. He reached the quarterfinals of last summer's U.S. Amateur at Hazeltine before falling in the final of the U.S. Mid-Amateur. And he hits bombs – 127-plus mph swing speed, ball speeds in the 190s. Massa was once a pro golfer, for five years after graduating from Texas-Arlington. Then he gave up the game, forced into exile by the swing yips. 'I couldn't break 90 to save my life,' Massa told last year. Bobby Bobby Massa teaches people to hit bombs; at age 36, he's still mashing at U.S. Amateur Advertisement Massa won his first-round match Wednesday at Hazeltine to advance to the Round of 32. The break from competing led to Massa's current career. He now works at Sanders Fit, where his clientele ranges from pro and elite amateur golfers to NFL, NBA and MLB players to even USGA president Fred Perpall. For Massa, it's all about unlocking his golf clients' speed and distance through non-golf-specific training. Perpall says some people call Massa, "Bobby Speed." Massa got his amateur status back in 2019, but with golf's distance boom, he's been plenty busy with his day job. His last world-ranked tournament was the East West Matches at Maridoe last November. He and his wife, Kalloway, have an almost 2-year-old daughter, Palmer, and a 4-month-old son, Miller, who was born Dec. 4 two months premature. "2024 has definitely been the craziest year of my life," Massa wrote on Instagram last December. Advertisement This won't be Massa's PGA Tour debut. He's played in two previous editions of the Byron Nelson, first in 2013 (MC) and then 2023 (MC). He averaged 324.8 yards off the tee two years ago to rank inside the top 10 in driving distance for the week. Massa is joined in this week's field by fellow Monday qualifiers Ross Steelman, Nick Watney and Nelson Ledesma. All four got through a 5-for-4 playoff after shooting 67 on Monday at Waterchase Golf Club in Fort Worth, Texas, where Massa played some in college.
