The Race to the U.S. Open: Florida

Host course

Pine Tree Golf Club has long been considered one of South Florida’s best tests of golf. The course is 7,172 yards and heavily bunkered. Sam Snead and Mickey Wright were members here; Karrie Webb and Gary Woodland too. With the early summer heat and gusty winds of South Florida, you can bet Pine Tree is going to play tough.

‍Players in the field: 49

‍Spots available: Not confirmed. Last year’s South Florida site had 73 players for four spots. 

PGA Tour winners in the field

Wesley Bryan

Nicholas Lindheim

Carlos Ortiz

Matthew Wolff 

‍Storylines

‍Matthew Wolff: A month after turning pro in 2019, Wolff won the 3M Championship and then finished second in the 2020 U.S. Open at Winged Foot. He has talked openly about his mental health struggles, and last year he made the leap to LIV Golf. Wolff withdrew during last week’s LIV event due to injury but is hoping to return to action quickly. 

‍Cameron Kuchar: The 15-year-old and son of nine-time Tour winner, Matt Kuchar, will attempt to play in a major alongside his dad. Cameron shot 69 in local qualifying and finished second to earn a spot in Final qualifying. 

‍Austen Truslow: You’ve seen Austen Truslow chip, right? He’s the one-handed wonder. Truslow was starting to find form on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2020 before being sidelined by a series of injuries and unfortunate events. After 21 months away from competition, Truslow Monday-qualified into the Sony Open in January in his first event back, but missed the cut. 

‍Matt Cahill: Seminole’s head professional recently played in his first major, the PGA Championship, although he missed the cut. He got in the field with a T-2 finish at the PGA Professional Championship, proving he can shoot the scores when it matters. Cahill will try to follow in the footsteps of a legendary Seminole head pro, Claude Harmon Sr., and qualify for a U.S. Open as a club pro. 

‍Carlos Ortiz: Ortiz knows how to win. He did so three times on the Korn Ferry Tour and took home the trophy from the PGA Tour’s Vivint Houston Open in 2020. Ortiz is now a member of LIV Golf’s Fireballs GC. Since joining the league, he has two runner-up finishes. He has yet to perform well in a major championship.

‍Notables

‍Hugo Leon- We assume his Detroit Tigers hat and a bunch of heaters will follow

Michael Buttacavoli- Ryan caddied for Buttacavoli in a Hooters event nearly 15 years ago. They were in the lead group in the third round but shot 86 in a windstorm. Michael stopped playing full-time a couple of years ago after multiple knee injuries, but looks to recapture some old magic.

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