Final stage of U.S. Open qualifying back at Springfield Country Club

Brian Stuard, center, and Matthys Daffue, right, were the medalists at the U.S. Open Qualifier at Springfield Country Club on Monday. Ron Alvey/Miami Valley Golf Association

Brian Stuard, center, and Matthys Daffue, right, were the medalists at the U.S. Open Qualifier at Springfield Country Club on Monday. Ron Alvey/Miami Valley Golf Association

One of the final roads to the 123rd U.S. Open passes through the Springfield Country Club on Monday.

Exactly how many of the 70-some golfers will be rewarded with a spot in the 123rd U.S. Open on June 15-18 at Los Angeles Country Club was determined late Sunday as fields were being finalized at 11 U.S. sites and two international sites. Last year eight players qualified out of Springfield, which is hosting a final qualifying event for the third straight year. The club hosted the previous stage of sectional qualifying 11 times from 2008-2019

Monday’s test is 36 holes beginning at 7 a.m. The final group of three tees off at 9:05. Admission is free, but spectator carts are not permitted.

Davis Love III, the 1997 PGA champion, was scheduled to play but recently withdrew. Vandalia Butler graduate and University of North Carolina standout Austin Greaser also withdrew. Greaser won the 2020 Ohio Amateur.

Jordan Gilkison highlights the local entrants in the field and tees off at 7:10. He won the Division I state high school title in 2020 as a senior at Springboro and was the first amateur in 44 years to win the Ohio Open in 2022. Gilkison just completed his sophomore season at Kent State and earned a spot on the all-Mid-American Conference five-man first team. He was the MAC freshman of the year in 2022 and was named to the second team.

Dhaivat Pandya, a Centerville graduate, recently graduated from Kentucky and is in the field and starts at 7:15. Pandya competed as a freshman East Tennessee State then played three seasons at Maryland before competing as a graduate student this past season at Kentucky. Domenic Maricocchi, a former University of Dayton golfer, is also in the field. He starts at 7:05.

Last year’s co-medalists are back. Brian Stuard of Jackson, Michigan, tees off at 8:45, and Matthys Daffue of South Africa is in the final group at 9:05.

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