6/2/25
(Walla Walla, WA) On Monday, the USGA held one of 10 U.S. Open Final Qualifying spots at Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla. 41 players were competing for only two spots in a highly competitive qualifier. The two players who advance from Final Qualifying will be playing next week in the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, PA. This is a record 10th time the U.S. Open has been held at Oakmont, most recently in 2016 when Dustin Johnson won his first major championship.
Matt Vogt, a dentist from Indiana, took medalist honors in Walla Walla with a pair of 4-under 68s. In both rounds, Vogt shot 33 on the front nine and 35 on the back nine. In the first round, Vogt had four birdies in a five-hole stretch on 3, 5, 6, and 7. On the back nine, Vogt was one over before an eagle on the 18th hole. In his second round, Vogt had only two bogeys and six birdies to match his first round 68 to get to 8-under and secure his spot in the U.S. Open. Vogt wears a ribbon on his hat in honor of his father, who recently passed away. Vogt was also a caddie at Oakmont and could use some of that prior knowledge when he revisits his old stomping grounds next week.
Brady Calkins from Chehalis was the second player to advance from Walla Walla. The 2013 W.F. West graduate shot a 4-under 68 in the first round and a 3-under 69 in the second round to make it through by one shot. In the first round, Calkins had a double bogey on the 17th hole, but had seven birdies and a pair of 34s to card his 68. In the second round, Calkins shot a 3-under 33 on the front nine before an even par, 36 to narrowly send himself to the U.S. Open. Calkins qualified for the U.S. Open three years ago in Bend, allowing himself to play at The Country Club in Brookline, MA. Calkins grew up playing at Riverside Golf Club in Chehalis and made the State Tournament all four years with W.F. West. As a freshman, Calkins missed the cut by one shot. He rallied in his high school career with three top tens at the State Tournament, including finishing second as a senior.
Vancouver’s Spencer Tibbits is the first alternate from Walla Walla, and New Mexico’s Clark Sonnenberg, an amateur, is the second alternate. Both Tibbits and Sonnonenberg shot 6-under to share third. Tibbits shot a pair of 3-under 69s, while Sonnenberg shot a 2-under 70 and a 4-under 68.
Tibbits played his college golf at Oregon State and qualified for the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Tibbits played high school golf at Fort Vancouver and won the Individual State Championship three times. Tibbits won as a freshman, finished second as a sophomore, won in a playoff as a junior, and won as a senior by four shots.
Click here to view the full results from Walla Walla.
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