Best Of 2019 U.S. Open Sectional Qualifying Storylines
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With apologies to those named by the USGA’s communications department, but deleted below, the most interesting players to follow during Monday’s Sectional Qualifying. The low scores will turn up June 13-16 at Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links.
The venues, and main USGA page following the action.
Golfweek’s live coverage blog, which I’ll be contributing to from the Newport Beach qualifier.
Fox Sports 1 will wrap up the day with an 11 pm ET show.
RattleSnake Point Golf Club (Copperhead and Sidewinder courses), Milton, Canada
Walton Heath Golf Club (New and Old courses), Surrey, England
Big Canyon Country Club & Newport Beach Country Club, Newport Beach, Calif.
Streamsong Resort (Black Course), Bowling Green, Fla.
Hawks Ridge Golf Club, Ball Ground, Ga.
Woodmont Country Club (North Course), Rockville, Md.
Century Country Club & Old Oaks Country Club, Purchase, N.Y.
Brookside Golf & Country Club & Scioto Country Club, Columbus, Ohio
Springfield (Ohio) Country Club
Wine Valley Golf Club, Walla Walla, Wash.
Ok here goes…
RattleSnake Point Golf Club (Copperhead and Sidewinder courses)
Milton, Canada
Ricky Barnes, 38, of Stockton, Calif., tied for second in the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course. He also qualified for the 2000 U.S. Open as a 19-year-old amateur, one of six Opens in which he has competed. Barnes won the 2002 U.S. Amateur Championship, defeating Hunter Mahan in the final at Oakland Hills.
Cameron Davis, 24, of Australia, is attempting to qualify for his first U.S. Open after tying for 39th in last year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie. Davis has won on the Web.com Tour and PGA Tour of Australasia. He helped Australia win the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship by 19 strokes and was the individual leader (269). Davis also won the 2015 Australian Amateur.
Dylan Fritelli, 28, of South Africa, is attempting to play in his second consecutive U.S. Open. He missed the cut at Shinnecock Hills last year. Fritelli, who has won twice on the PGA European Tour, has also competed on the Asian, Sunshine and Challenge tours. He helped the University of Texas claim the 2012 NCAA Championship.
Padraig Harrington, 47, of the Republic of Ireland, won the 2007 and 2008 Open Championships, conducted by The R&A, and the 2008 PGA Championship. He has competed in 16 U.S. Opens and has posted five top-10 finishes. He tied for fourth in 2012 at The Olympic Club. He was chosen 2007 European Tour Player of the Year and 2008 PGA Tour Player of the Year. Harrington will captain the European Ryder Cup Team in 2020.
Scott Langley, 30, of Scottsdale, Ariz., has competed in four U.S. Opens and tied for low amateur with Russell Henley in 2010 at Pebble Beach when they tied for 16th. Langley, who won the 2010 NCAA individual championship as a member of the University of Illinois team, claimed his first Web.com Tour title last year. He is the first alumnus of The First Tee to play on the PGA Tour.
Walton Heath Golf Club (New and Old courses)
Surrey, England
Sam Horsfield, 22, of England, has played in 13 USGA championships, including the 2015 and 2016 U.S. Opens. Horsfield, who reached the Round of 16 in the 2016 U.S. Amateur, was the medalist in 2017 PGA European Tour Qualifying School. A two-time All-Southeastern Conference selection at the University of Florida, Horsfield was chosen first-team All-American and SEC Freshman of the Year in 2016.
Min Woo Lee, 20, of Australia, is in his first year as a professional and plays primarily on the PGA European Tour. Lee, who competed in three U.S. Amateurs, defeated Noah Goodwin to win the 2016 U.S. Junior Amateur. He became the fourth international champion and the first male Australian in 10 years to win a USGA title. His sister, Minjee, captured the 2012 U.S. Girls’ Junior and has won five LPGA Tour events, including this year’s LA Open.
Andrew Johnston, 30, of England, has played in three U.S. Opens, finishing 62nd last year at Shinnecock Hills, tying for 42nd in 2017 at Erin Hills and tying for 54th in 2016 at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. Johnston, known as “Beef” since his youth, has won once on the PGA European Tour and twice on the Challenge Tour.
Edoardo Molinari, 38, of Italy, is the older brother of reigning Open champion Francesco Molinari, who has competed in nine U.S. Opens. Edoardo won the 2005 U.S. Amateur at Merion Golf Club and became the first Italian to win the championship. He has played in three U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 47th in 2010. Edoardo has won a combined nine titles on the PGA European, Challenge and Japan tours.
Thomas Pieters, 27, of Belgium, played in his lone U.S. Open in 2017 at Erin Hills. He has won three PGA European Tour events and has three top-25 finishes on the PGA Tour this season, including a tie for 23rd in the PGA Championship. Pieters had a celebrated career at the University of Illinois and won the 2012 NCAA Division I individual championship. In 2013, he claimed the Big Ten Conference title and led the Illini to a runner-up finish in the NCAAs.
Alfie Plant, 26, of England, earned the silver medal as the low amateur in the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale. Plant, who is in his second year as a professional, won the 2017 European Amateur Championship with a birdie on the fifth playoff hole. He was a member of the 2017 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Team. Plant, who helped England finish second in the 2016 World Amateur Team Championship, has run a marathon, parachuted from a plane, bungee jumped and gone cage-diving among great white sharks.
Richie Ramsay, 35, of Scotland, has played in three U.S. Opens, including last year at Shinnecock Hills. Ramsay, who has won three times on the PGA European Tour and twice on the Challenge Tour, claimed the 2006 U.S. Amateur. He became the first Scot since 1898 to win the championship. He was a member of the 2005 Great Britain and Ireland Walker Cup Team.
Lee Westwood, 46, of England, has played in 18 U.S. Opens and has recorded nine top-25 finishes. He tied for third in 2008 at Torrey Pines Golf Course and in 2011 at Congressional Country Club. Westwood, who has competed on seven winning European Ryder Cup Teams, has compiled 24 victories on the PGA European Tour and has 43 professional wins overall.
Big Canyon Country Club & Newport Beach Country Club
Newport Beach, Calif.
Sean Crocker, 22, of West Palm Beach, Fla., tied for 47th in last year’s Open Championship at Carnoustie. He has competed in three U.S. Amateurs and two U.S. Junior Amateurs. He was twice chosen All-American and was a three-time All-Pac-12 Conference selection at the University of Southern California. Crocker, who was born in Zimbabwe, learned the game from his father, Gary, a professional cricket player.
Stewart Hagestad, 28, of Newport Beach, Calif., won the 2016 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship and was a member of the winning 2017 USA Walker Cup Team. In his Mid-Amateur triumph, he produced the largest comeback victory (4 down with five holes to play) since a 36-hole final was introduced in 2001. Hagestad, who was the low amateur (T-36) in the 2017 Masters Tournament, has competed in 17 USGA championships, including reaching the Round of 16 in the U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach last year.
Kaiwen Liu, 19, of People’s Republic of China, posted five top-20 finishes, including a tie for 14th in the NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional, as a sophomore on the University of California-Berkeley golf team. Liu has competed in five USGA championships, including two U.S. Amateurs. Liu, who attended Torrey Pines High, advanced to match play in three U.S. Junior Amateurs.
Isaiah Salinda, 22, of South San Francisco, Calif., advanced to the semifinals of the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Salinda, a senior on the Stanford University team, earned first team All-Pac-12 Conference recognition and helped the Cardinal win its third consecutive Pac-12 championship, the NCAA Stanford Regional title and NCAA Championship. Salinda, who won last year’s Pacific Coast Amateur, tied for sixth in the 2019 NCAA individual championship.
John Sawin, 34, of Pebble Beach, Calif., carded a 67 to share medalist honors in the Santa Cruz, Calif., local qualifier at Pasatiempo Golf Club. Sawin is the vice president and director of golf at Pebble Beach Golf Links and moved to the position after a decade in financial services. Sawin has competed in six USGA championships, including two U.S. Amateurs. He won the 2014 Pennsylvania Amateur with a 25-foot putt on the final green at Oakmont Country Club.
Justin Suh, 21, of San Jose, Calif., earned first team All-Pac-12 Conference honors for the third consecutive year. He tied for fourth in the 2019 NCAA individual championship. In 2018, Suh helped the University of Southern California win the Pac-12 Championship and was the conference individual champion. He was chosen Pac-12 Player of the Year. Suh qualified for the 2016 U.S. Open and advanced to match play in three consecutive U.S. Amateurs (2016-18). His sister, Hannah, played in the 2013 U.S. Women’s Open.
Jeff Wilson, 55, of Fairfield, Calif., won the 2018 U.S. Senior Amateur Championship at Eugene (Ore.) Country Club. Wilson, a general sales manager for an automobile dealership, tied for 31st in last year’s U.S. Senior Open and became the second player to earn low amateur in both the U.S. Open and U.S. Senior Open, joining Marvin “Vinny” Giles III. Wilson has competed in four U.S. Opens and was the low amateur in 2000 at Pebble Beach Golf Links when he tied for 59th place, Wilson has competed in 32 USGA championships, including 10 U.S. Amateurs.
Streamsong Resort (Black Course)
Bowling Green, Fla.
Canon Claycomb, 17, of Bowling Green, Ky., was the runner-up in the 2018 Class 1A state championship after tying for third the previous year. Claycomb, who reached match play in last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur, helped Circle Christian High claim the 2017 state title. He splits time between Kentucky and Orlando, Fla. Claycomb has played on the Greenwood High team in Bowling Green since fourth grade and, in 2016, he led the team to a second-place finish in the state championship while tying for second individually.
Luis Gagne, 21, of Costa Rica, shared low amateur honors with Matt Parziale in the 2018 U.S. Open, tying for 48th at Shinnecock Hills. Gagne, a senior on the Louisiana State University team, also advanced to the Round of 32 in last year’s U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Gagne, who earned All-Southeastern Conference recognition for the third consecutive year in 2018-19, tied for 10th in the NCAA Stanford Regional. He has competed in three U.S. Amateurs, reaching the quarterfinals in 2016, and two U.S. Junior Amateurs.
Retief Goosen, 50, of South Africa, won the U.S. Open in 2001 (playoff with Mark Brooks) and 2004, a two-stroke victory over Phil Mickelson at Shinnecock Hills. Goosen, who was struck by lightning as an amateur, has seven wins on the PGA Tour and 12 victories on the PGA European Tour. He has played in 18 U.S. Opens and will compete for the first time in the U.S. Senior Open, held at the Warren Course at Notre Dame, in South Bend, Ind., on June 27-30.
Tyler Strafaci, 20, of Davie, Fla., earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors and helped Georgia Tech win the 2019 ACC title. He is the grandson of Frank Strafaci, who won the 1935 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship and went on to become the executive director of the Florida State Golf Association and director of golf at Doral Country Club. Tyler’s mother, Jill, played golf at the University of Florida from 1976-79. Tyler competed in last year’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills and advanced to match play in the U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Hawks Ridge Golf Club
Ball Ground, Ga.
Stephen Behr, 26, of Atlanta, Ga., was stroke-play medalist and reached the Round of 16 in last year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur. He also advanced to match play in the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach. Behr earned his undergraduate degree in accounting from Clemson University and became a risk consultant for Ernst & Young. Although he was a second-team All-American and a first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference selection for the Tigers in 2016, Behr chose not to turn professional. His father, Steve, is the head golf professional at Florence (S.C.) Country Club.
Doug Ghim, 23, of Arlington Heights, Ill., qualified for last year’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills and has played in eight USGA championships. He was the runner-up in the 2017 U.S. Amateur and was a first-team All-American at the University of Texas. Ghim, who has two top-25 finishes on the Web.com Tour in 2019, was a member of the winning 2017 USA Walker Cup Team and posted a 4-0 record. He was also the 2014 U.S. Amateur Public Links runner-up to Byron Meth.
D.J. Trahan, 38, of Kiawah Island, S.C., has played in four U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for fourth at Torrey Pines Golf Course in 2008. Trahan, a four-time All-America selection at Clemson University, has two PGA Tour victories. He won the 2000 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship. His father, Don, is a master golf instructor and is known as “The Swing Surgeon.”
Woodmont Country Club (North Course)
Rockville, Md.
Joseph Bramlett, 31, of San Jose, Calif., was the youngest player to qualify for the U.S. Amateur when he competed at age 14 in 2002. Bramlett was later sidelined for two years due to lateral spine dysfunction and returned to golf in 2018. He was an All-America and All-Pac-12 Conference selection at Stanford University and earned his PGA Tour card through qualifying school in 2010. He has five top-20 finishes on the Web.com Tour this year.
Erik Compton, 39, of Coral Gables, Fla., was diagnosed with viral cardiomyopathy at age 9 and has since had two successful heart transplants. Compton, a member of the 2001 USA Walker Cup Team, has played in three U.S. Opens. He tied for second at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014.
Billy Hurley III, 36, of Annapolis, Md., has played in three U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 48th at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014. Hurley, who graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and was the 2004 Patriot League Player of the Year, was a member of the winning 2005 USA Walker Cup Team. He rose to the rank of lieutenant and served on U.S. Navy destroyers and cruisers.
Drew Kittleson, 30, of Scottsdale, Ariz., was the runner-up to Danny Lee in the 2008 U.S. Amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 and competed in the 2009 U.S. Open and Masters. He has played in seven USGA championship, including five U.S. Amateurs. Kittleson, who was reinstated as an amateur four years ago, is a sales manager for a kitchen and bathroom remodeling company.
Garrett Rank, 31, of Canada, became a full-time National Hockey League official in 2016-17 after working for several years in the American Hockey League. He qualified through local and sectional play and competed in his first U.S. Open last year at Shinnecock Hills. Rank, who overcame a cancer scare at age 23, was the runner-up in the 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur. He has competed in 17 USGA championships, including seven U.S. Amateurs. He advanced to match play in the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach.
Nick Sorkin, 28, of Rockville, Md., signed as an undrafted free agent in 2014 with the National Hockey League’s Montreal Canadians after totaling 20 goals and 21 assists as a senior at the University of New Hampshire and leading the Wildcats to NCAA Tournament play. Sorkin, who qualified for the 2016 U.S. Amateur, split time this season with the American Hockey League’s Binghamton Devils and the East Coast Hockey League’s Worcester Railers.
Karl Vilips, 17, of Australia, has played in two U.S. Amateurs (2016, 2017) and advanced to the Round of 32 in last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur at Baltusrol Golf Club. He tied for fourth in the 2019 Junior Invitational at Sage Valley on April 27. In 2018, he won the Wyndham Invitational and was the runner-up in the Western Junior. In 2017, he captured the Southern Amateur title and matched Bob Jones (1917) as the youngest champion in tournament history. Vilips, who was born in Indonesia, has used fund-raising activities to travel to tournaments.
Century Country Club & Old Oaks Country Club
Purchase, N.Y.
Brett Boner, 45, of Charlotte, N.C., was the runner-up to Kevin O’Connell in last year’s U.S. Mid-Amateur final at Charlotte Country Club. In 2016, he advanced to match play in the U.S. Mid-Amateur and played with his brother-in-law, Stephen Woodward, in the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball at Winged Foot Golf Club. Boner, a financial advisor who is a member at Carolina Golf Club, last year’s Mid-Amateur stroke play co-host course.
Michael McCoy, 56, of Norwalk, Iowa, has played in 58 USGA championships. He was the low amateur in the 2014 and 2015 U.S. Senior Opens and won the 2013 U.S. Mid-Amateur Championship, the second-oldest winner. McCoy, who was a member of the 2015 USA Walker Cup Team, reached the semifinals of last year’s U.S. Senior Amateur and is scheduled to compete in his seventh consecutive U.S. Senior Open in 2018.
Gary Nicklaus, 50, of Jupiter, Fla., is the son of four-time U.S. Open champion Jack Nicklaus. Gary, who has competed in 10 USGA championships, including the 1997 and 2001 U.S. Opens, advanced through the Jupiter, Fla., local qualifier. He qualified for last year’s U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Golf Links, where his father won the 1972 U.S. Open and 1961 U.S. Amateur.
Matt Parziale, 31, of Brockton, Mass., won the 2017 U.S. Mid-Amateur and became the first champion to earn a full exemption into the following year’s U.S. Open. He and Luis Gagne were the low amateurs in the 2018 U.S. Open, tying for 48th at Shinnecock Hills. Parziale, who also competed in the 2018 Masters, has played in 13 USGA championships.
Jack Wall, 18, of Brielle, N.J., has won back-to-back individual state championships and has helped Christian Brothers Academy win three consecutive state crowns. Wall, who advanced through U.S. Open local qualifying for the second year in a row, was the 2018 NJ.com Golfer of the Year and finished second in last year’s New Jersey State Amateur. His older brother, Jeremy, is also in this sectional field.
Jeremy Wall, 23, of Brielle, N.J., was involved in Loyola University (Md.) capturing three Patriot League championships during a four-year span. Wall, who works in sales for a car dealership, earned first-team all-league honors twice. He won last year’s Philadelphia Amateur and is competing in his seventh USGA championship. His brother, Jack, is also in this U.S. Open sectional field.
Cameron Young, 22, of Scarborough, N.Y., earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors for the third consecutive year as a senior at Wake Forest University. He has competed in nine USGA championships, including five U.S. Amateurs. Young became the first amateur to win the New York Open when he shot a final-round 64 at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in July 2017. His father, David, is the head professional at Sleepy Hollow Country Club.
Brookside Golf & Country Club & Scioto Country Club
Columbus, Ohio
Akshay Bhatia, 17, of Wake Forest, N.C., was the runner-up to Michael Thorbjornsen in the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur Championship at Baltusrol Golf Club. He also advanced to match play in last year’s U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach. In 2019, Bhatia made his PGA Tour debut at the Valspar Championship and tied for 42nd in his first Web.com Tour event. Bhatia, whose sister, Rhea, competed as a member of the Queens University of Charlotte women’s golf team, aced the 17th hole at Pinehurst No. 2 at age 12.
Jamie Broce, 42, of Indianapolis, Ind., recently competed his second season as head golf coach at IUPUI (Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis). Broce spent the previous five years at the University of Toledo and was an assistant at Indiana University. As a player, he earned All-America recognition at Ball State University. He qualified for the 2014 PGA Championship.
Bobby Clampett, 59, of Bonita Springs, Calif., shot a 68 in Naples, Fla., local qualifying and survived a 6-for-5 playoff to advance. Clampett, who was born in Monterey, Calif. and attended the Stevenson School, has played in seven U.S. Opens, including a tie for third in 1982 behind Tom Watson and Jack Nicklaus at Pebble Beach Golf Links. Clampett, who works as a TV golf analyst, won the California State Amateur in 1978 and 1980, both at Pebble Beach.
Cole Hammer, 19, of Houston, Texas, was the third-youngest player to compete in a U.S. Open when he played at Chambers Bay in 2015. Hammer advanced to the semifinals of the 2018 U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach and reached the semifinals of last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur. Hammer, who won the 2018 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with partner Garrett Barber, has played in nine USGA championships. Hammer, who is a freshman at the University of Texas, tied for third in the Big 12 Conference Championship and tied for first in the NCAA Austin Regional.
Max Homa, 28, of Valencia, Calif., won his first PGA Tour event, the Wells Fargo Championship, on May 5. He is attempting to qualify for his second U.S. Open, having played in 2013 at Merion Golf Club. Homa, an All-American who won the NCAA individual title at the University of California-Berkeley, has two Web.com Tour victories. He was a member of the winning 2013 USA Walker Cup Team and reached the quarterfinals of the 2010 U.S. Amateur.
Collin Morikawa, 22, of La Canada Flintridge, Calif., was named the 2019 Pac-12 Conference Golfer of the Year after winning the Pac-12 individual championship as a member of the University of California-Berkeley team. He was chosen All-Pac-12 first team for the fourth consecutive year and tied for sixth in the 2019 NCAA individual championship. Morikawa helped the USA win the 2017 Walker Cup Match. Morikawa, Maverick McNealy and Doug Ghim became the first trio of USA players to record perfect 4-0 Walker Cup records.
Steve Stricker, 52, of Madison, Wis., has played in 20 U.S. Opens and has 13 top-25 finishes. He advanced through sectional qualifying in 2017 and 2018 and tied for 16th and 20th, respectively. He best finish was fifth in both 1998 and 1999. Stricker, who has 12 PGA Tour victories, was an All-American at the University of Illinois before starting his pro career in 1990. He is fully exempt to play in his first U.S. Senior Open at the Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame, June 27-30.
Braden Thornberry, 22, of Olive Branch, Miss., won the Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s top-ranked amateur. He is in his first year as a professional and has competed on the PGA Tour and Web.com Tour. Thornberry was a member of the victorious 2017 USA Walker Cup Team. He won the 2017 NCAA Division I individual title as a sophomore at the University of Mississippi. He received the Fred Haskins Award as the top college golfer and earned All-America and All-Southeastern Conference recognition.
Springfield Country Club
Springfield, Ohio
Zac Blair, 28, of Orem, Utah, qualified for his lone U.S. Open through both local and sectional play. He tied for 40th at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014. Blair, an All-America selection at Brigham Young University, has posted two top-10 finishes on the Web.com Tour and made one start on the PGA Tour this season.
Will Grimmer, 22, of Cincinnati, Ohio, has competed in two U.S. Opens (2014, 2018). He tied for 66th last year at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club and advanced after earning medalist honors (66-69) in the Springfield, Ohio, sectional. Grimmer, a senior at Ohio State University, is a two-time All-Big Ten Conference selection. He helped the Buckeyes finish second in the 2019 NCAA Myrtle Beach Regional.
Dylan Meyer, 23, of Evansville, Ind., advanced to his first U.S. Open through the Springfield, Ohio, sectional last year. He tied for 20th at Shinnecock Hills. Meyer, who competes on the Web.com Tour, helped the University of Illinois claim its fourth consecutive Big Ten Conference Championship in 2018. He tied for fourth individually in the NCAA Championship after finishing tied for sixth the previous year. Meyer, who reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 U.S. Amateur, was the 2017 Big Ten Player of the Year when he won the conference individual title.
Wine Valley Golf Club
Walla Walla, Wash.
Wil Collins, 40, of Rapid City, S.D., is attempting to advance to the U.S. Open through both local and sectional qualifying for the third time. Collins, who qualified in 2005 and 2013 through both stages, has competed on the PGA Tour, Web.com Tour and PGA Tour Canada. He won the 2001 Ben Hogan Award as college golf’s top player while at the University of New Mexico.
Joe Highsmith, 19, of Lakewood, Wash., was chosen 2019 West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year as a member of the Pepperdine University team. Highsmith, who was also a first team All-WCC selection, tied for eighth at the conference championship, was fourth in the NCAA Austin Regional and tied for 24th in the NCAA Championship. He reached the quarterfinals of last year’s U.S. Junior Amateur and qualified for the U.S. Amateur at Pebble Beach Golf Links.
John Murdock, 22, of Laramie, Wyo., advanced to U.S. Open sectionals for the second consecutive year with a 70 in the Fort Collins, Colo., local qualifier. Murdock, who has played the classical violin since third grade, tied for fifth in the 2019 Mountain West Conference Championship as a senior for the University of Wyoming. He was a four-time all-state high school selection at Laramie High.
Kevin Stadler, 39, of Denver, Colo., is the son of 1982 Masters champion Craig Stadler, who competed in 18 U.S. Opens. Kevin has played in three U.S. Opens, with his best finish a tie for 63rd in 2014 at Pinehurst No. 2. He has won on the PGA Tour (2014 Waste Management Phoenix Open) and the PGA European, Nationwide (now Web.com) and Challenge tours.
Sam Tidd, 19, of Meridian, Idaho, is a freshman on the University of Oklahoma golf team. He and partner Carson Barry have competed in two U.S. Amateur Four-Balls and were semifinalists in 2018. Tidd captured the 2017 5A state high school championship and was runner-up the following year. Tidd helped Rocky Mountain High claim two Idaho 5A state titles.
