U.S. Open: Monday final sectional qualifier rounds preview
Memphis, Tennessee
108 players for TBD spots
If you’re a PGA TOUR pro looking to qualify and you’re not in Columbus, there’s a good chance you’re in Memphis.
Dozens of players in the field at the adjacent FedEx St. Jude Classic in Memphis June 8-11 will take to Germantown CC and Ridgeway CC first on Monday.
It’s kind of a shame two-time U.S. Open champion, Retief Goosen, is resigned to sectional qualifying, but, alas, he’s one of the headliners at this section.
Joining him in Memphis is former world top-10 player Steve Stricker, who is looking to qualify for Erin Hills in his home state of Wisconsin. Ian Poulter has opted out of the qualifier due to fatigue, perhaps from the gymnastics he and Brian Gay performed recently to keep their Tour cards.
PGA TOUR veteran Stuart Appleby is seeking his 15th U.S. Open start by qualifying here.
A young gun who could play in as many Opens as Appleby when it’s all said and done is Ole Miss’ Braden Thornberry. The 20-year-old recently won the individual NCAA Championship by four strokes and was first-team all-SEC as a sophomore. He’ll be staying in Memphis to tee it up in the FedEx St. Jude Classic.
Sam Burns is another talented 20-year-old. The sophomore at LSU won the Division I Jack Nicklaus Player of the Year Award for the 2016-2017 season and recently won the Barbasol Shootout. His win puts him in this summer’s PGA TOUR’s Barbasol Championship and puts him in good company with Jon Rahm, who won the Nicklaus Award and Barbasol in 2016.
PGA TOUR winners J.J. Henry, Mark Wilson, Ben Crane, Rory Sabbatini, Brian Gay, Bill Lunde, Matt Jones, Scott Brown, Robert Garrigus, Seung-Yul Noh, Brendon Todd, Peter Malnati, Harris English, Nick Taylor, Dicky Pride, Ken Duke, Hudson Swafford, Will Mackenzie, Ben Martin, Cody Gribble and Chez Reavie will all be present.
The 54-hole leader and folk hero at Oakmont in 2016, Andrew Landry, will aim for a trip back to the U.S. Open. Landry tied for 15th in 2016, missing out on the exemption given to top-10 finishers from the previous year’s Open.