The Road To the U.S. Open: Springfield

Host Course

Springfield Country Club (Ohio) is a longtime host of the U.S. Open sectional qualifier and has held up as a great venue despite its short length. The course measures less than 6,700 yards but the severe runoffs and difficult greens make it a true test. Take, for example, the difficult 18th – a finishing hole with a green perched on a large hill. Leave your approach short, and the ball can run 70 yards down the hill. Get it above the hole and a three-putt (or four-putt) becomes a real possibility. I have been on-site the last few years and it’s a wonderful course. 

‍Players in the field: 64

‍Estimated Spots available: 5-7

‍Most Decorated Players

‍Zach Johnson: The much-maligned Ryder Cup Captain and 12-time PGA Tour winner played every U.S. Open from 2004 through 2021, but hasn’t played in one since. Johnson has two top-10s in the U.S. Open with the last coming in 2020. 

‍Adam Scott: The Australian hasn’t missed a major championship since the U.S. Open in 2001, a run of 92 consecutive majors. The 14-time PGA Tour winner is currently 58th in the world and inside the number needed to get in the field (top 60). His finish at this week’s Canadian Open will determine if he makes the field or heads to Springfield. 

‍Brian Stuard: Although Stuard doesn’t have the resume of the other two in this category, he owns the best record at Springfield Country Club by a mile. Stuard has qualified for the U.S. Open seven times, the last in 2022. Each time he has qualified, Stuard has done it at Springfield. He will try for number eight on Monday. 

‍Other PGA Tour Winners in the Field

William McGirt

Robert Streb

Nick Hardy

Troy Merritt

Cam Davis

‍Storylines

‍Max Moldovan- The Ohio State star is looking to play in his third straight U.S. Open. Last year, Moldovan lost an EIGHT hole playoff to Alex Schaake for the final spot in Springfield. However, Moldovan was the last man into the field at Los Angeles Country Club after earning an alternate spot. 

‍Austin Greaser- The three-time All-American from the University of North Carolina hopes to play in his second U.S. Open. He finished T61 in 2022 at The Country Club. 

‍Luke Gutschewski- The Iowa State standout is the son of PGA Tour member Scott Gutschewski. Luke has had a very good solid career including earning the number one seed in match play during the 2022 U.S. Amateur. 

‍Eric Hawerchuk- Son of Dale, a former NHL star who passed away from cancer in 2020, Eric looks to earn a spot at Pinehurst. Eric played professionally for seven years before stopping in 2020. He is now CEO of Hawerchuk Strong, a charity named after his late father. 

‍Beau Titsworth- All-time name

‍Other Notables in the field 

Zac Blair, Sam Stevens, Beau Hossler, Dylan Wu, Dylan Meyer, Austin Greaser

‍Full Field

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