Seamus Power, an Irish golfer, has earned his spot to compete in the imminent US Open at Pinehurst, making him the fourth Irish golfer to do so. This followed his triumph in the qualifier contest held at Ohio State’s Columbus. His excellent performance in the game’s ultimate round assured his spot and rendered a play-off for the remaining placements unnecessary.
This marks Power’s third consecutive opportunity to participate in the renowned US Open. He joins a trio of his fellow countrymen, Rory McIlroy, Shane Lowry, and Tom McKibbin, representing Ireland in North Carolina.
In addition to Power and his compatriots, both Webb Simpson, the 2012’s US Open champion, and Matt Kuchar, a seasoned PGA Tour player, successfully secured their places in this year’s tournament via traditional qualification methods.
A total of 672 golfers vied for one of the 44 admission spots to the US Open, competing in 36-hole qualifiers held across Canada and the United States. Kuchar, aged 45, emerged victorious at his qualifying ground. Despite boasting nine PGA Tour wins and once ranking fourth in the Official World Golf Rankings, his recent performance dips meant he had no automatic exemptions into the US Open.
Simpson’s prior privilege for his 2012 victory ran out after 2022, but he managed to secure a spot in the 2023 games. However, Simpson hasn’t landed a cut in a major tournament since the 2022 PGA Championship.
In contrasting fortunes, Australian golfer Adam Scott’s participation in the forthcoming US Open is in precarious limbo. This puts his record streak of 91 consecutive appearances in major tournaments since 2001 at risk. Currently, Scott is yet to secure his exempt status. He fell short at the Springfield Country Club in Ohio, but the door for an exemption remains ajar for Scott. Golfers occupying the top 60 slots of the OWGR by June 10th gain an invite, and he currently sits at the 60th spot. However, he won’t be participating in the Memorial later in the week.
South African Dean Burmester, a member of LIV Golf, secured a tie for second position in Florida, trailing Kuchar by a single stroke. On the other hand, his LIV golfing counterpart, Joaquin Niemann from Chile, missed a tripartite playoff for the fifth and final spot by just one stroke. The US Open is scheduled to take place from the 13th to the 16th of June at the Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s second course, located in North Carolina.