Residents of McCordsville, Indiana, better take extra good care of their teeth in the coming days, as one of the town’s dentists is going to be busy preparing for a major championship.
Matt Vogt, a practicing dentist who was born in Pittsburgh, will be one of the 156 players to tee it up at the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on June 12-15 after he qualified Monday in what’s known as “Golf’s Longest Day.”
Golf’s Longest Day sees hundreds of golfers attempt to qualify for the third major of the PGA Tour season with a gruelling 36-hole Monday qualifier. This year, there were 10 qualifying sites (nine in the United States and one in Canada) to fill the U.S. Open field.
Vogt punched his ticket to the U.S. Open by winning the qualifier at Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla, Washington, by firing back-to-back 68s to finish at 8 under.
Heading to Oakmont, which is just outside of Pittsburgh, will be a full-circle moment for Vogt, as he was a caddie at the course for six years before becoming a dentist.
“Oakmont, and Pittsburgh, and everything there means so much to me, having grown up in Pittsburgh and caddying there,” Vogt said in an interview with Golf Channel after his win. “It took every ounce of energy in my body to not think about that all day.
“I’m just so proud of staying present and staying in the moment. I feel like I’m going to wake up from a dream here in a little while and this isn’t going to be real. But it’s real and I’m so excited.”
Vogt’s victory Monday also comes just two months after his father passed away.
But Vogt knows his father, who was his biggest supporter, was tracking his round on Monday and will continue to do so at the U.S. Open.
“When I was starting to play golf again and take this seriously, he was the one guy who was tracking me,” Vogt told Golf Channel. “… I knew he was tracking me today. I was looking up to the skies and I know he’s with me and he’ll always be with me. I wish he was here to share it, but I know he’s watching.”
Other notable qualifiers from Golf’s Longest Day include 17-year-old high school junior Mason Howell, who dominated the Atlanta qualifier with a bogey-free, 18-under 126, and Cameron Young, who won a 5-for-1 playoff at the Ohio qualifier.
Young beat out notable PGA Tour winners Max Homa and Rickie Fowler in the five-man playoff to secure the final spot at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club.
No Canadians were able to qualify on Monday.
Here is a full list of all the qualifiers for the U.S. Open after Golf’s Longest Day:
Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club; Columbus, Ohio
Qualifiers
1. Erik Van Rooyen, 64-67
T2. Bud Cauley, 69-68
T2. Lanto Griffin, 69-68
T2. Justin Lower, 68-69
5. Harrison Ott, 67-71
6. Cameron Young, 71-68 (qualified in 5-for-1 playoff at T6)
Piedmont Driving Club; Atlanta, Georgia
Qualifiers
T1. Mason Howell (a), 63-63
T1. Jackson Buchanan, 63-63
T3. Jackson Koivun (a), 69-64
T3. Tyler Weaver (a), 67-66
T3. Will Chandler, 70-63
Springfield Country Club; Springfield, Ohio
Qualifiers
1. Grant Haefner, 68-65
T2. George Duangmanee, 68-67
T2. Maxwell Moldovan, 69-66
4. Zac Blair (qualified in a 4-for-1 playoff), 68-68
Duke University Golf Club; Durham, North Carolina
Qualifiers
1. Zach Bauchou, 71-64
T2. Alistair Docherty, 72-64
T2. Alvaro Ortiz, 73-63
T2. Emilio Gonzalez, 69-67
T5. Chandler Blanchet, 69-68
T5. Trent Phillips, 70-67
T5. George Kneiser, 69-68
Woodmont Country Club (North Course); Rockville, Maryland
Qualifiers
1. Ryan McCormick, 66-66
2. Trevor Cone, 69-68
T3. Bryan Kim (a), 70-69 (qualified in a 3-for-2 playoff)
T3. Marc Leishman, 70-69 (qualified in a 3-for-2 playoff)
Canoe Brook Country Club; Summit, New Jersey
Qualifiers
1. James Nicholas, 67-68
T2. Chris Gotterup, 71-65
T2. Roberto Diaz, 65-71
4. Benjamin James (a), 67-70
Lambton Golf & Country Club; York, Ontario, Canada
Qualifiers
1. Kevin Velo, 65-67
T2. Niklas Norgaard, 64-69
T2. Matt Wallace, 67-66
T4. Thorbjørn Olesen, 67-67
T4. Mark Hubbard, 64-70
T4. Victor Perez, 67-67
T4. Emiliano Grillo, 69-65
Wine Valley Golf Club; Walla Walla, Washington
Qualifiers
1. Matt Vogt, 68-68
2. Brady Calkins, 68-69
Valencia Country Club; Valencia, California
Qualifiers
1. Preston Summerhays (a), 69-63
2. Riley Lewis, 71-64
3. Zachery Pollo (a), 65-71
4. Joey Herrera and Lucas Carper playoff for final spot to be finished Tuesday
Emerald Dunes Golf Club; West Palm Beach, Florida
(Play suspended until Tuesday due to inclement weather)
