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U.S. Open 2026 Final Qualifying: Who's in, who's out and everything you need to know from Golf's Longest Day

Nairavoice · Jun 8, 2026 · 18 min read

The USGA boasts that the U.S. Open is the most democratic championship in the world. And a day like Monday, June 8, is the reason it can do so. At 10 sites around the U.S. and Canada, 713 professionals and amateurs were scheduled to play 36 holes, hoping that at the end of what’s known as Golf’s Longest Day, they’re one of those who have earned their way into the national Open from the more than 10,000 golfers who applied. We’ve written before, but we’ll repeat it here: those who advance are a testament to perseverance. For first timers, it’s a dream fulfilled, the chance to say you got to play in a major championship. For veterans, it’s a chance to test yourself again, perhaps for the last time.

More often than not it’s the reactions of the players themselves—the hugs and tears as they walk off the course—that speak more clearly than any words that follow.

There are 43 spots available Monday, the number varying by site. Those who advanced joined the 19 who have already gotten through the first three Final Qualifying events held two weeks ago and the 85 who were fully exempt. (U.S. Open 2026 Final Qualifying: Who's for a complete list of the field so far).

Here are roundups from each of the Final Qualifying sites, letting you know who’s in and who’s out of the 126th U.S. Open.

Gaston Country Club Gastonia, N.C. — 78 players for 5 spots (final leaderboard)

The question facing 18-year-old amateur Jackson Ormond, after he shot an opening 65 at Gaston Country Club in North Carolina, was whether he could handle the nerves of trying to make his first U.S. Open in the afternoon. The Rochester, N.Y., native is bound for the University of Florida in the fall, and he’s the 11th-ranked junior in the AJGA rankings, but with this father watching on, this was an entirely new kind of pressure.

As it turned out, he played even better. Ormond made a clutch eagle on the par-5 seventh hole in the afternoon (his third-to-last hole), then converted a tricky two-putt on the last to close with a 63 and earn co-medalist honors at 12 under.

“It’s a lifelong dream,” he said. “I’ll remember it for a long time, the way my dad supported me throughout my entire career … my whole family, and everything they’ve done, I don’t have the words to describe how grateful I am. I wouldn’t be here, nor would I want to be here, without them.”

U.S. Open 2026 Final Qualifying: Who's

Sharing the top spot with Ormond at 12 under were a pair of familiar names—Carl Yuan of China and Houston’s Cole Hammer. There were five spots available at Gaston CC, and the last two were claimed by Brandon Wu and Jackson Van Paris, who birdied the last two holes to grab his spot at 11 under. Their victims were Cristobal Del Solar and Harry Higgs, who both finished one shot outside of qualifying.

Among the bigger names at Gaston, there was little to cheer about. North Carolina native Webb Simpson did not finish after an opening round 70, Bill Haas shot an exceptional 63 in his opening round, only to fade down the stretch, and PGA Tour stalwarts like Doc Redman, Chesson Hadley, Aaron Wise, Ryo Ishikawa, and Troy Merritt all came up well short.—Shane Ryan

The game plan for getting to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club via the USGA’s qualifying site in Purchase, N.Y., was clear. Make your birdies on Purchase Golf Club, a shorter, more tree-lined design, then head next door for your next round and survive the complexities of Century Country Club’s greens.

If identifying and rewarding the best players is the goal of any USGA event, the yin-and-yang of the two neighboring courses—which double as two of the most exclusive clubs in Westchester County—proved an effective method.

Kevin Roy—a former teammate of Xander Schauffele at Long Beach State—earned medalist honors at eight-under with a pair of 67s. He was one of just two players to shoot under par on both courses. The other was PGA Tour pro Max Greyserman, who shot 68-68 to finish six-under and in solo second.

Ben James, the former World No. 1 amateur who recently earned his PGA Tour card via PGA Tour U, and Korn Ferry Tour pro and Westchester native James Nicholas earned the final two spots at two-under over LIV Golf player Matt Jones.

But it was not without late drama.

Nicholas and James each bogeyed the final two holes of their second round playing Century, while amateur Christian Cavaliere eagled his 34th hole of the day at Purchase Golf Club to momentarily jump into a tie for the final spot, forcing a playoff. Had that come to fruition, he would’ve had to drive back to Century where the playoff was due to take place. But a double bogey on his 36th and final hole of the day sent James and Nicholas through.

U.S. Open 2026 Final Qualifying: Who's

In all, the field’s scoring average at Century Country Club was almost 3.3 shots higher than at Purchase, which stepped in to fill the role that nearby Old Oaks Country Club, which is undergoing a renovation and usually plays in hosting final U.S. Open qualifying. Purchase was more about mastering the art of “small ball,” Greyserman said. Many players only hit a handful of drivers during their round.

Century’s sloping greens, meanwhile, were fast and fiery. Head professional Nick Yaun said the club hadn’t watered the course since a heavy storm rolled through the area late last week.

“The greens were a good defense and a fair test. Our grounds crew did a phenomenal job. There was a lot of strategic putting, you wanted to make sure you kept your ball below the hole,” Yaun said. “The players got to experience the course just as our membership does.”

And perhaps even got a tiny taste of what the lucky four will face at Shinnecock next week. —Luke Kerr-Dineen

Woodmont Country Club Rockville, Md. — 77 players for 4 spots (live leaderboard)

Notable storylines to watch:

• Blades Brown, 19, of Nashville, Tenn., has earned special temporary member status on the PGA Tour after finishing tied for 14th at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. He has made six out of seven cuts on the PGA Tour this season, including two top-10s at the Myrtle Beach Classic and Puerto Rico Open. Brown finished in the top 20 at the American Express that included a first-round, 12-under-par 60, becoming the youngest player in PGA Tour history to record a round of 60 or better.

• Michael Thorbjornsen, 24, of Wellesley, Mass., has played in three U.S. Opens as an amateur. He made it through Final Qualifying twice in 2022 and 2023 and played in the 2019 U.S. Open on an exemption after winning the 2018 U.S. Junior Amateur at Baltusrol.

• Evan Beck, 35, of Virginia Beach, Va., earned a spot in the 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont after winning the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur at Kinloch Golf Club in Manakin-Sabot, Va. He also was the runner-up in the 2008 U.S. Junior Amateur and 2023 U.S. Mid-Amateur. He was the runner-up in the 2025 U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with partner Dan Walters, who was his assistant coach when he played collegiately at Wake Forest.

Hawks Ridge Golf Club Ball Ground, Ga. — 78 players for 5 spots (live leaderboard)

Notable storylines to watch:

• Chris Kirk, 41, of Atlanta, Ga., is a six-time PGA tour winner who has competed in eight previous U.S. Opens. Kirk’s best U.S. Open came at last year’s championship, where he tied for 12th at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. He’s seeking to qualify for his four consecutive U.S. Open.

• Keith Mitchell, 34, of Chattanooga, Tenn., is seeking to qualify for his third U.S. Open and first since 2023. Mitchell’s lone PGA Tour win came in the 2019 Honda Classic title (now the Cognizant Classic) at PGA National Resort.

• Brendon Todd, 40, of Pittsburgh, Pa., is a three-time PGA Tour winner looking to qualify for his sixth U.S. Open. Todd last played in the championship in 2024, where he tied for 67th. His best U.S. Open finish came in his debut in 2014 (T-14).

• Jason Dufner, 49, of Auburn, Ala., won the 2013 PGA Championship at Oak Hills Country Club and has played in 13 U.S. Opens, including a top 25 at Shinnecock Hills in 2018. Dufner has made the cut nine times and owns two top-five finishes at U.S. Open.

• Tommy Morrison, 21, of Dallas, Texas, is a University of Texas senior attempting to qualify for his first U.S. Open. Standing 6 feet, 9 inches, Morrison is one of the tallest players in collegiate golf. He recently helped the Longhorns advance to match play in the NCAA Championships. He was a member of the victorious 2025 U.S. Walker Cup team, posting a 2-1 match-play record. He is currently No. 18 in the latest World Amateur Golf Ranking.

• Luke Colton, 18, of Frisco, Texas, is attempting to qualify for his first U.S. Open. Colton, who has signed to play at Vanderbilt University in the fall, is a member of the U.S. National Junior Team. He was a semifinalist at the 2025 U.S. Junior Amateur and competed on the 2025 U.S. Junior Ryder Cup Team.

Lakes Golf & Country Club Westerville, Ohio — 54 players for 4 spots (live leaderboard)

Notable storylines to watch:

• Lucas Glover, 46, of Jupiter, Fla., won the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black as a qualifier, his lone major win. Glover is attempting to qualify for his 18th U.S. Open and first since 2025. Glover’s 2009 U.S. Open win at Bethpage Black was one for the history books, as he carded back-to-back birdies on the 70th and 71st holes to beat out Phil Mickleson, Ricky Barnes and David Duval.

• Brian Campbell, 33, of Irvine, Calif., is seeking to qualify for his third consecutive U.S. Open and fifth overall. Campell’s best finish in the championship came in 2015 when he tied for 27th at Chambers Bay. He is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour with both coming during the 2025 season (John Deere Classic and Mexico Open at VidantaWorld).

• Davis Thompson, 26, of St. Simons Island, Ga., is a former Georgia Bulldog who has played in four U.S. Opens. Thompson’s best finish in the championship came in 2024 when he tied for ninth at Pinehurst No. 2. As a member of the Georgia men’s golf team, Thompson spent multiple weeks as the No. 1 player in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. He owns one PGA Tour win – the 2024 John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run.

• Austin Eckroat, 27, of Edmond, Okla., has appeared in three previous U.S. Opens. His best finish came in 2023 when he tied for 10th.. Eckroat, a member of the 2018 NCAA champion Oklahoma State men’s golf team, is a two-time winner on the PGA Tour. He previously appeared in four U.S. Amateurs and helped the United States retain the Walker Cup in 2021, going 2-0 in singles matches at Seminole Golf Club.

• Tyler Watts, 18, of Huntsville, Ala., is a 2026 Tennessee signee who is seeking to qualify for his first U.S. Open. At just 15 years old, Watts became the youngest player ever to claim the Alabama State Amateur Championship title. The following year, Watts finished as the runner-up in the U.S. Junior Amateur and made his debut on the inaugural U.S. National Junior Team, which he has been a member of the last three years.

Springfield Country Club Springfield, Ohio — 78 players for 5 spots (live leaderboard)

Notable storylines to watch:

• Tony Finau, 36, has played in 10 out of the last 11 U.S. Opens and owns six career PGA Tour wins. Finau played in the final group on Sunday in 2018 at Shinnecock Hills and finished fifth. His best result at the U.S. Open is a tie for third in 2024 at Pinehurst.

• Brandt Snedeker, 45, of Nashville, Tenn., has 14 U.S. Open starts in his career with four top-10s, the last coming in 2017 at Erin Hills (T-9). The U.S. captain for the 2026 Presidents Cup earned his first PGA Tour win since the 2018 season at the Myrtle Beach Classic in early May.

• Aldrich Potgieter, 21, of South Africa, is the reigning PGA Tour Rookie of the Year after leading the circuit in driving distance and winning the 2025 Rocket Classic in Detroit. Potgieter has played in one U.S. Open (2023) when he tied for 64th at The Los Angeles (Calif.) Country Club.

• Billy Horschel, 39, of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., owns eight PGA Tour victories including the 2014 Tour Championship. Horschel has played in 12 U.S. Opens with eight made cuts, including a tie for fourth in 2013 at Merion. He owns the lowest 18-hole score in USGA history, a 60 posted in the first round of the 2006 U.S. Amateur at Chaska (Minn.) Town Course.

• Maxwell Moldovan, 24, of Uniontown, Ohio, has advanced to the U.S. Open on four consecutive occasions from the Springfield, Ohio, final qualifying site. The former Ohio State standout started his 2026 journey advancing from the Findlay (Ohio) Country Club local qualifier on April 28.

• Neal Shipley, 25, of Pittsburgh, Pa., earned low-amateur honors at the 2024 U.S. Open when he tied for 26th at Pinehurst No. 2, and the Masters (T-53). The former Oakmont Country Club caddie was the runner-up in the 2023 U.S. Amateur to Nick Dunlap. Shipley is in his first year on the PGA Tour after capturing two Korn Ferry Tour events in 2024.

• Philip Barbaree, Jr., 27, of Shreveport, La., won the 2015 U.S. Junior Amateur at Colleton River Plantation Club, in Bluffton, S.C., and has played in two U.S. Opens. Barbaree survived Final Qualifying in 2018 at Shadow Hawk Golf Club in Richmond, Texas, where he tied for medalist honors to earn his first major championship start at Shinnecock Hills. In 2025, Barbaree advanced from the West Palm Beach, Fla., final site. At Oakmont, he made a five-foot par putt on his final hole Saturday morning to make the cut, with his wife Chloe caddying, after play had been suspended by weather late Friday.

BallenIsles Country Club Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. — 78 players for 4 spots (live leaderboard)

Notable storylines to watch:

• Matt Kuchar, 47, of Jupiter, Fla., has nine career PGA Tour wins and has played in 22 U.S. Opens with 11 made cuts. Kuchar made his U.S. Open debut in 1998 at The Olympic Club, where he finished tied for 14th as the reigning U.S. Amateur champion to earn low-amateur honors. He was a member of the 1999 USA Walker Cup Team.

• Luke Clanton, 22, of Hialeah, Fla., has played in one U.S. Open when he tied for 41st as an amateur at the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2. He earned the 2024 Mark H. McCormack Medal as the world’s leading male in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, but forfeited his pre-earned exemption into the 2025 U.S. Open after turning professional before the RBC Canadian Open.

• Luis Gagne, 28, of Costa Rica shared low-amateur honors with Matt Parziale at the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills and has played in two U.S. Opens since (2019 and 2021). The Costa Rica native competes on the PGA Tour Americas and advanced from the Ormond Beach, Fla., qualifier at Plantation Bay Country Club on May 6. He played collegiately at LSU.

• Nico Gordic-Ronderos, 14, of Bradenton, Fla., is the youngest competitor in Final Qualifying. He advanced from the Naples, Fla., local qualifier where he shot three-under 68 to claim one of the five spots. There were more than 30 14-year-olds in local qualifying, and Gordic-Ronderos is the only one teeing it up on Golf’s Longest Day.

• Miles Russell, 17, of Jacksonville Beach, Fla., is the highest-ranked junior in the World Amateur Golf Ranking. One of the most decorated amateurs in recent history, Russell was named the 2023 AJGA’s Rolex Boys Player of the Year, surpassing Tiger Woods as the youngest winner of the award. Russell, a lefty, was a quarterfinalist at the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur and 2025 U.S. Amateur. He’s a member of the U.S. National Development team and he will have Charlie Woods working as his caddie during Final Qualifying.

Lambton Golf & Country Club York, Ontario, Canada — 61 players for 6 spots (live leaderboard)

Notable storylines to watch:

• Max Homa, 34, of Scottsdale, Ariz., has competed in seven U.S. Opens. His best finish was a tie for 47th in 2022 at The Country Club, in Brookline, Mass. He finished tied for ninth at the 2026 Masters, his lone top-10 finish of the season. Homa has captured six PGA Tour titles, including the 2023 Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines.

• Rasmus Hojgaard, 25, of Denmark, has played in two U.S. Opens, including a tie for 46th at Oakmont last year. Rasmus’ brother, Nicolai, is already in the field as an exempt player. They made history as the first set of twins to compete in the same Masters in 2025.

• Ricky Castillo, 24, of Yorba Linda, Calif., played his lone U.S. Open in 2020 as an amateur when he earned an exemption via his World Amateur Golf Ranking. Castillo picked up his first career PGA Tour win at the Puerto Rico Open this past March.

• Beau Hossler, 31, of Mission Viejo, Calif., has played in five U.S. Opens with three made cuts. Hossler briefly led the 2012 U.S. Open during the second round as a 17-year-old at The Olympic Club.

• Camillo Villegas, 44, of Colombia, owns five career PGA Tour wins and has played in eight U.S. Opens including a tie for ninth finish in 2008 at Torrey Pines. He was the runner-up to Hunter Mahan in the 1999 U.S. Junior Amateur.

• Garrick Higgo, 27, of South Africa, has two career PGA Tour wins and has played in one U.S. Open, in 2021 at Torrey Pines, where he missed the cut. He was a semifinalist in the 2017 U.S. Junior Amateur.

Del Paso Country Club Sacramento, Calif. — 78 players for 4 spots (live leaderboard)

Notable storylines to watch:

• Kihei Akina, 20, of Alpine, Utah, recently completed his freshman season at Brigham Young University and is a member of the U.S. National Development Program’s Elite Amateur Program. Akina, who was on the U.S. Junior National Team in 2025, is a three-time Utah high school state champion who won the 2025 Utah Open, where he was the youngest winner since 1934. He made his PGA Tour debut at the 2026 Puerto Rico Open, where he finished T-16. Akina finished top 10 individually at the 2026 NCAA Men’s Division I Golf Championship.

• Ricky Barnes, 45, of Stockton, Calif., has competed in six U.S. Opens. His best finish came in 2009 at Bethpage Black, when he tied for second with David Duval and Phil Mickelson after holding the championship’s 54-hole lead. Barnes is attempting to qualify for his first U.S. Open since 2010, when he finished T-27 at Pebble Beach.

• Michael Block, 49, of Mission Viejo, Calif., has competed in two U.S. Opens. His most recent appearance came in 2018 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, where he missed the cut. Block’s rise to stardom has been widely documented and highlighted by his T-15 finish at the 2023 PGA Championship, one of the best performances by a club professional in decades. Block is a teaching professional at Arroyo Trabuco Golf Club, in Mission Viejo, Calif.

• Dean Greyserman, 22, of Boca Raton, Fla., is a senior on the Stanford men’s golf team who is competing for a chance to play in his first U.S. Open. Dean is the younger brother of PGA Tour pro Max Greyserman and qualified for Final Qualifying through a local qualifier at Ruby Hill Golf Club, where he earned co-medalist honors. Dean is the middle child between older brother Max and Reed, the youngest sibling, who plays collegiately at Princeton. Dean and Max both competed in the 2025 U.S. Amateur.

• Stewart Hagestad, 35, of Newport Beach, Calif., has appeared in five U.S. Opens. His best finish came in 2022 at The Country Club, in Brookline, Mass., where he finished 64th. Hagestad, who works for BDT & MSD Partners, is one of the most decorated amateurs of this era, winning the U.S. Mid-Amateur three times, earning low-amateur honors at the 2017 Masters Tournament and representing the USA on five victorious Walker Cup teams.

• Kevin Na, 42, of the Republic of Korea, has competed in 10 U.S. Opens. The five-time PGA Tour winner’s best U.S. Open finish came in 2016 when he placed seventh at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. Na recently left LIV Golf where he was a captain for the Iron Heads GC. He is hoping to play his first U.S. Open since 2022.

• Geoff Ogilvy, 48, of Australia, won the 2006 U.S. Open at Winged Foot, his lone major championship victory. Ogilvy has played in 13 U.S. Opens, the last coming in 2016 at Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club. He owns eight career PGA Tour wins and is the International Team Captain for the 2026 Presidents Cup.

Emerald Valley Golf Club Creswell, Ore. — 54 players for 2 spots (live leaderboard)

Notable storylines to watch:

• Andrew Putnam, 37, of University Place, Wash., has competed in five U.S. Opens. His last U.S. Open appearance came in 2023, and his best showing came in 2022, when he tied for 31st at The Country Club, in Brookline, Mass. Putnam made his U.S. Open debut at Pebble Beach in 2010, competing as an amateur out of Pepperdine University.

• Michael Putnam, 42, of University Place, Wash., is the older brother of Andrew and has competed in six U.S. Opens. The elder Putnam made his U.S. Open debut in 2005 at Pinehurst. His best showing came in 2017, when he tied for 35th at Erin Hills Golf Course.

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