Eastern Michigan Athletics
Blair Becomes Fifth Eagle to Advance to U.S. Open Final Qualifier
5/17/2022 3:57:00 PM | Men's Golf
The 122nd U.S. Open will be held at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., June 16-19
YPSILANTI, Mich. (EMUEagles.com) – Former Eastern Michigan University golfer Michael Blair became the fifth Eagle to move one step closer to an opportunity to take part in the U.S. Open. Blair shot a two-under 69 to win the event at The Pulpit Club to advance to final qualifying.
He joins Brett White (2012-16), Kyle Rodes (2013-17), Beau Breault (2015-19), and Blaise Vanitvelt (2020-22) as they each look to earn a berth in the field. White won his qualifying event at Marietta Country Club with a six-under 64. Breault (2015-19) shot a 4-under 68 at Muskegon Country Club, while Rodes (2013-17) was the co-medalist with a 5-under 67 at Sara Bay Country Club. Meanwhile, Vanitvelt added a one-under 69 at Butler Country Club.
The Ancaster, Ontario native, Blair competed in the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, withstood inclement weather conditions in what seemingly was just another day at the office. Blair wasted no time getting to work on Monday morning as part of the first pairing to tee off and set the tone early for the remaining 75 players in the starting field.
After an even par showing on the front nine, Blair knocked down three birdies coming in, to claim the early clubhouse lead – one that was ultimately never surrendered.
Overall, the United States Golf Association (USGA) hosts more than 100 qualifying tournaments for the right to compete for this year's national championship. The 122nd U.S. Open will be held at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., June 16-19.
This is the fourth time the major will be played at the historic club, the first famously coming in 1913 when amateur Francis Ouimet stunned the golf world with his playoff victory over Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, setting off an American golf boom in the process. Subsequently, Julius Boros won the title there in 1963 and Curtis Strange most recently in 1988, also both in a playoff.
For the 10th straight year, more than 9,000 golfers have entered the championship. To be eligible, a player must have a Handicap Index of 1.4 or lower, or be a professional. Entries were received from all 50 states (including 232 from Massachusetts), the District of Columbia and 79 foreign countries.
Thus far only 48 golfers have earned exemptions all the way to Brookline, including defending champion Jon Rahm and 11 other past U.S. Open winners. The number of fully exempt players will increase with the inclusion of the top-60 point leaders and ties from the World Ranking, as of May 23 and June 6. The winner of the PGA Championship (May 19-22) and any multiple winners of PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation for the season-ending Tour Championship also will earn exemptions. The 2020-21 top finisher on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, the 2021-22 top finisher on the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit and the 2021-22 top finisher on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, who are not otherwise exempt as of May 23, also will be exempt.
Players will be designated to the course of their choice for the Final Qualifier. To see the list of Final Qualifying sites click here.
There are 109 courses hosting 18-hole local qualifiers that will be contested in 44 states and Canada from April 25 to May 23. Those who advance then tee it up in one of 11 36-hole final qualifiers. Nine will be conducted at U.S. sites on Monday, June 6, with one additional American qualifier being played Monday, May 23. Japan also will host a sectional qualifier on May 23. England will not host a site again this year, but an exemption category has been added based on the four-event U.S. Open 2022 European Tour Qualifying Series. The top 10 aggregate point earners from the Betfred British Masters, Soudal Open, Dutch Open and the Porsche European Open on the DP World Tour, who are otherwise not exempt, will earn a place in the U.S. Open field.
Just two golfers—Ken Venturi (1964) and Orville Moody (1969)—have won the U.S. Open after qualifying through local and final qualifying play. Gene Littler (1961), Boros (1963), Jerry Pate (1976), Steve Jones (1996), Michael Campbell (2005) and Lucas Glover (2009) won after advancing through final qualifying.
He joins Brett White (2012-16), Kyle Rodes (2013-17), Beau Breault (2015-19), and Blaise Vanitvelt (2020-22) as they each look to earn a berth in the field. White won his qualifying event at Marietta Country Club with a six-under 64. Breault (2015-19) shot a 4-under 68 at Muskegon Country Club, while Rodes (2013-17) was the co-medalist with a 5-under 67 at Sara Bay Country Club. Meanwhile, Vanitvelt added a one-under 69 at Butler Country Club.
The Ancaster, Ontario native, Blair competed in the 2019 RBC Canadian Open, withstood inclement weather conditions in what seemingly was just another day at the office. Blair wasted no time getting to work on Monday morning as part of the first pairing to tee off and set the tone early for the remaining 75 players in the starting field.
After an even par showing on the front nine, Blair knocked down three birdies coming in, to claim the early clubhouse lead – one that was ultimately never surrendered.
Overall, the United States Golf Association (USGA) hosts more than 100 qualifying tournaments for the right to compete for this year's national championship. The 122nd U.S. Open will be held at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass., June 16-19.
This is the fourth time the major will be played at the historic club, the first famously coming in 1913 when amateur Francis Ouimet stunned the golf world with his playoff victory over Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, setting off an American golf boom in the process. Subsequently, Julius Boros won the title there in 1963 and Curtis Strange most recently in 1988, also both in a playoff.
For the 10th straight year, more than 9,000 golfers have entered the championship. To be eligible, a player must have a Handicap Index of 1.4 or lower, or be a professional. Entries were received from all 50 states (including 232 from Massachusetts), the District of Columbia and 79 foreign countries.
Thus far only 48 golfers have earned exemptions all the way to Brookline, including defending champion Jon Rahm and 11 other past U.S. Open winners. The number of fully exempt players will increase with the inclusion of the top-60 point leaders and ties from the World Ranking, as of May 23 and June 6. The winner of the PGA Championship (May 19-22) and any multiple winners of PGA Tour events that award a full-point allocation for the season-ending Tour Championship also will earn exemptions. The 2020-21 top finisher on the Asian Tour Order of Merit, the 2021-22 top finisher on the ISPS Handa PGA Tour of Australasia Order of Merit and the 2021-22 top finisher on the Sunshine Tour Order of Merit, who are not otherwise exempt as of May 23, also will be exempt.
Players will be designated to the course of their choice for the Final Qualifier. To see the list of Final Qualifying sites click here.
There are 109 courses hosting 18-hole local qualifiers that will be contested in 44 states and Canada from April 25 to May 23. Those who advance then tee it up in one of 11 36-hole final qualifiers. Nine will be conducted at U.S. sites on Monday, June 6, with one additional American qualifier being played Monday, May 23. Japan also will host a sectional qualifier on May 23. England will not host a site again this year, but an exemption category has been added based on the four-event U.S. Open 2022 European Tour Qualifying Series. The top 10 aggregate point earners from the Betfred British Masters, Soudal Open, Dutch Open and the Porsche European Open on the DP World Tour, who are otherwise not exempt, will earn a place in the U.S. Open field.
Just two golfers—Ken Venturi (1964) and Orville Moody (1969)—have won the U.S. Open after qualifying through local and final qualifying play. Gene Littler (1961), Boros (1963), Jerry Pate (1976), Steve Jones (1996), Michael Campbell (2005) and Lucas Glover (2009) won after advancing through final qualifying.
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