The state of Utah will be well-represented next week in the 2025 U.S. Open at famed Oakmont Country Club in the suburbs of Pittsburgh.
Former BYU golfer Zac Blair qualified for the event June 12-15 by surviving a four-man playoff for one spot at a final U.S. Open qualifying site in Springfield, Ohio. After shooting a 4-under 136 on Monday, the current Orem resident outlasted amateur John Peterson and pros Kurt Kitayama and Dawson Armstrong for the fourth available spot.
It was the third time Blair has qualified for the U.S. Open in Springfield; He will play in his fourth U.S. Open, having tied for 26th last year at Pinehurst No. 2 course in North Carolina.
Meanwhile, former Utahn Preston Summerhays, an Arizona State golfer who grew up in Farmington, was medalist in the Valencia, California, qualifying site, firing a phenomenal 10-under 132 on Monday at Valencia Country Club. Summerhays, the son of former PGA Tour player Boyd Summerhays, shot a final-round 63 to clear the field by three shots.
He was the 2018 and 2019 Utah State Amateur champion and competed in the U.S. Open previously in 2020 and 2021.
A couple of other Utahns didn't fare as well in California. Korn Ferry Tour regular Daniel Summerhays (Preston's uncle) shot an even-par 142 and tied for 14th, missing the cut for a playoff by four shots.
Lone Peak High graduate Kihei Akina, one of the top junior golfers in the country and a BYU golf signee, also shot a 142 at Valencia and missed the cut by four shots.
Another BYU product who is a PGA Tour golfer and tried to qualify Monday is Patrick Fishburn, an Ogden native . Fishburn got off to a great start with an opening-round 68 at Lambton Golf & Country Club in Ontario, Canada, but posted a 73 in his afternoon round and missed the seven-player cut by seven shots.
Salt Lake City's Tony Finau will also play in the U.S. Open, for the 11th straight year. Finau tied for third last year at Pinehurst, shooting 4-under 276 in the event won by Bryson DeChambeau.
