ROCKVILLE, Md. — For the 39th time, Woodmont Country Club played host to U.S. Open Final Qualifying, and Ryan McCormick of Middletown, N.J., carded eleven birdies and one bogey to fire back-to-back rounds of 66, finishing ten-under-par and five strokes clear of the field to earn medalist honors on the par-71, 7,325-yard North Course. With four qualifying spots and two alternate spots up for grabs, 75 players teed off in the morning under cool weather. By the end of the day, however, it was a perfect afternoon under sunny skies at Woodmont.
McCormick was the early-round leader after a five-under-par 66 and got off to a quick start, making birdies Nos. 1 and 3. Making the turn in the morning, he took advantage of Nos. 10–12, making birdies on all three holes. He added another birdie on No. 16 to finish the morning round at 66. Starting on No. 10 in the afternoon, he birdied his first two holes and added another on No. 18 to make the turn at eight-under-par. He recorded his final birdies on Nos. 3 and 4 to finish at ten-under. McCormick, who turned professional in 2018, competes on the Korn Ferry Tour and has previously won the 2012 New Jersey Amateur and the 2012 Metropolitan Amateur. This will be his first appearance in a U.S. Open.
Trevor Cone of Charlotte, N.C., earned the second spot, finishing at five-under-par for the day with rounds of 69 and 68. Starting on No. 10 in the morning, he birdied Nos. 11, 15, and 17, with two bogeys, to make the turn at one-under 35. He bogeyed No. 2 to fall back to even-par, then made three straight birdies on Nos. 3–5. A bogey on the short par-4 7th left him at two-under for the morning. In the afternoon, he got off to a hot start with birdies on Nos. 1 and 3, and later made back-to-back birdies on Nos. 6 and 7 to reach six-under with nine holes to play. Two more birdies and three bogeys on the back nine were enough to earn him a spot in the 125th U.S. Open. Cone currently plays on the Korn Ferry Tour and has two professional wins.
With two spots already claimed, a playoff was needed to determine the final two qualifiers and the first alternate. In the playoff were Bryan Lee, Marc Leishman, and Sebastián Muñoz, who all finished at three-under-par 132. The playoff began on the par-4, 470-yard No. 8. All three players made par to advance. The second playoff hole was the 170-yard par-3 No. 6, where all three hit the green. Leishman hit his tee shot to about five feet. Muñoz, first to putt, left his 30-foot birdie attempt four feet short. Lee, putting next, lagged his 15-foot birdie attempt to within a foot and tapped in for par. Muñoz, still outside Leishman, lipped out his par putt to make bogey. Leishman two-putted for par, securing spots for both himself and Lee.
Lee of Fairfax, Va. will be making his first appearance at the U.S. Open. He is a member of the University of Virginia Golf Team that made it to the NCAA Championship Finals last week in California. Leishman, who plays his golf on the LIV Golf, will be making his 13th appearance at the U.S. Open. His top finish was T14 at the 2022 U.S. Open held at The Country Club in Massachusetts. Last time at Oakmont in 2016, Leishman finished T18 at six-over-par.
With Sebsaitan Munoz earning first alternate, second alternate went to Peter Uihlein.
Lee, of Fairfax, Va., will be making his first U.S. Open appearance. He is a member of the University of Virginia Golf Team, which reached the NCAA Championship Finals last week in California. Leishman, who currently competes on LIV Golf, will be making his 13th U.S. Open start. His best finish was a T14 at the 2022 U.S. Open held at The Country Club in Massachusetts. At Oakmont in 2016, he finished T18 at six-over-par.
With Sebastián Muñoz earning first alternate, second alternate honors went to Peter Uihlein.
Thank you to Woodmont Country Club for hosting another incredible qualifier and to the Middle Atlantic Golf Association for assisting in the event.
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To serve, grow, and advance the game of golf in Maryland and the District of Columbia.
