Eight golfers advance from U.S. Open qualifier in Springfield

Brian Stuard has qualified out of Springfield seven times

MJ Daffue, of South Africa, and Brian Stuard, of Jackson, Mich., tied for the top score at the U.S. Open qualifier Monday at Springfield Country Club.

Daffue and Stuard each shot 7-under 133 in two rounds to qualify for the 2022 U.S. Open, which will be held in Brookline, Mass., from June 16-19.

This is the seventh time Stuard, 39, has qualified for the U.S. Open in Springfield since 2013. He has made the cut at the U.S. Open once, tying for 65th in 2019. His best performance at a major came in 2017 when he tied for 36th at the Masters. He’s 263rd in the World Golf Ranking.

Daffue, 33, plays on the Korn Ferry Tour. He played college golf at Lamar University from 2009-11. He’s 290th in the World Golf Ranking.

Six other golfers in the field of 77 qualified for the U.S. Open in Springfield:

Beau Hossler, of Austin, Texas, and Ohio State sophomore Maxwell Moldovan, of Uniontown, Ohio, shot 5-under 135 to tie for third. Hossler finished 32nd at The Memorial over the weekend and ranks 160th in the world. Moldovan is two-time Ohio state champion (2017 and 2018) and won the 2019 Ohio Amateur.

Four golfers shot 4-under 136 and qualified: Troy Merritt, of Eagle, Idaho; former Ohio State golfer Bo Hoag, of Columbus; Samuel Stevens, of Eastborough, Kan.; and University of Illinois senior Adrien Dumont de Chassart, of Belgium.

Five players shot 3-under 137 and went to a playoff to compete for two alternate spots. Nick Hardy, of Northbrook, Ill., won the playoff to earn the first alternate spot, and Jim Herman, of Palm City, Fla., won the second alternate spot.

Former NFL player Danny Woodhead shot 10-over 150. Greeneview graduate Mason Witt shot 13-over 153. Nine-time PGA Tour winner Brandt Snedeker shot even 140.

Springfield Country Club has hosted the qualifier since 2008.

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