Part of the aura that surrounds the U.S. Open, this magnificent national championship, is that anyone can try to play in it. It is open. Amateurs who have a Handicap Index of 0.4 or less, or any professional – club pro or otherwise unattached – can throw their golf hat in the ring and try to make it through two stages of qualifying – a Local, and then Final.

Final Qualifying, held today, was played over 36 holes at 10 sites across the U.S. (with one being held in Canada). It is known as “Golf’s Longest Day.” And it is a grind.

The Final Qualifying held at Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla, Wash. was conducted by WA Golf.

Click here to view photos and videos from the Final Qualifying.

Matt Vogt and Brady Calkins were paired together, and fed off each other – they both shot 4-under 68 to tie for the lead after the morning round, and in the afternoon round Vogt shot another 68 to take medalist honors, while Calkins shot 69. They claimed the two available spots at this Final Qualifying.

“Oh yeah, we definitely fed off each other’s energy,” Calkins said. “All day long. It was cool because we could see what each other was doing during the day, and we didn’t have to worry about what other players were doing.”

When Vogt walked by Calkins early this morning before the first round, Calkins said to him, “How about you and me taking these two spots.” And they were in tandem all day.

“When Brady said that to me this morning, I thought, ‘He really means that – instead of being my competitor, he wanted to do this together,” Vogt said afterward. “It almost felt like we were on a mission.”

About:

Matt Vogt, 34, of Indianapolis, Ind., was one of four players to advance from the Columbus, Ind., local qualifier on April 25. Still competing as an amateur, he shot a 67 at Otter Creek Golf Course. Vogt, a practicing dentist and oral surgeon, is originally from Cranberry Township, Pa., and attended Seneca Valley High School. A former caddie at Oakmont Country Club for six years, he played golf at Butler University and later earned his DDS in dental surgery from Indiana University.

Brady Calkins, 30, of Chehalis, Wash., fired a 67 at the local qualifier on May 13 held at Palouse Ridge Golf Club in Pullman, Wash. He played in the 2022 U.S. Open after advancing through both qualifying stages and was co-medalist with a pair of 68s in the Bend, Ore., final qualifier. Calkins, who played on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2023, has won nine Dakotas Tour events, from 2018-24. He has held jobs in construction and hydroseeding.

There were several local players competing in today’s Final Qualifying at Wine Valley. Here are some of those who did not make the cut.

Andrew Putnam, 36, of University Place, Wash., has competed in five U.S. Opens and his best finish was a tie for 31st in 2022 at The Country Club. Putnam, who has won on the PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour, tied for 43rd at the 2023 U.S. Open held at The Los Angeles Country Club. He has recorded three top-25 finishes on the PGA Tour this season. His brother, Michael Putnam, has played in six U.S. Opens, and was a member of the victorious 2005 USA Walker Cup Team. Michael’s 14-year-old son Jantzen caddied for his Uncle Andrew in today’s Final Qualifying.

Nolan Thoroughgood of Victoria, B.C., is in his second year as Oregon State University’s assistant coach. He played for the Beavers from 2018-23 and competed in 40 tournaments. He was a three-time All-Pac-12 Conference All-Academic selection. He won the 2016 BC Amateur, the youngest (at age 15) to do so in that championship’s 123-year history. Thoroughgood was one of six players to advance from the Junction City, Ore., local qualifier on April 28, carding a 3-under 69. Nolan had his dad, Garth, as his caddie, with his mom Danna following along in the gallery.

Sean Kato of Redmond, Wash. won the 2020 Washington Men’s Amateur and played four years on the Oregon State University golf team. Now living in Arizona, he has recently turned professional. His sister Nicole caddied for him in today’s Final Qualifying. She will be competing in the Washington Women’s Amateur, being held later this month, June 16-18, at The Home Course in DuPont, Wash.

Spencer Tibbits was named the PNGA Junior Boys’ Player of the Year in 2016. He played four years on the Oregon State University men’s golf team, graduating in 2021. He made it into the 2019 U.S. Open, held that year at Pebble Beach, and made it to match play in the 2019 and 2020 U.S. Amateur Championships. He won the 2019 Oregon Amateur, and while in high school won three Class 3A High School individual state titles.

Colten Kleis of Kenmore, Wash. was named to Team WA Golf in last month’s PNGA Lamey Cup, where he competed as a mid-amateur. He also qualified for last year’s U.S. Open Final Qualifying.

Rudy Caparas of Everett, Wash. had won the 2014 4A High School State Championship, and turned pro in 2016 at age 18 having never played in college. He played on several mini tours, then worked for several years as an assistant pro at Mill Creek (Wash.) Country Club. Last fall he began working as head instructor at Five Iron Golf. A few weeks ago he tied for second in the Washington Open Invitational, and had shot a 67 at the Local qualifier at Druids Glen to make it to the Final Qualifying.

At the Final Qualifying held at Springfield (Ohio) Country Club, Max Herendeen of Bellevue, Wash. had an astonishing 11 birdies over the 36 holes, but finished at just 2-under par, missing a spot in the U.S. Open by two shots. Herendeen, a sophomore on the University of Illinois men’s golf team, was named the PNGA and WA Golf Men’s Player of the Year in 2024.

Full results from the Final Qualifying at Wine Valley can be found here.