Nick Barrett tries to play 18 holes of golf once a week, competing in a money game with his buddies at Turf Valley Resort. A good 18 might win him lunch that afternoon.
Monday, Barrett is 36 great holes from qualifying for the 2025 U.S. Open.
The 31-year-old UPS driver from Catonsville advanced to the final stage of U.S. Open qualifying, which puts him within reach of a berth into the year’s third major championship. To do so, he’ll need to post one of the best scores at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville in a final qualifying event featuring some of golf’s most recognizable names.
“Have you seen the field?” Barrett quipped in an interview with The Baltimore Sun. “Oh my God, you’ve got to take a look at the field.”
With LIV Golf in Virginia from June 6-8, a handful of members of the professional tour figured Monday’s qualifier in Maryland was a convenient tournament warmup. Of the 10 final qualifying locations Monday, the event at Woodmont is the closest to Virginia, giving LIV players a chance to punch a U.S. Open ticket days before a scheduled tournament.
That means two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson and Lee Westwood are among the players in the field, hoping to punch their respective tickets into another U.S. Open in the late stage of their careers. Younger LIV stars such as Sebastián Muñoz, Mito Pereira and David Puig will tee it up. Open Championship winner Stewart Cink, an eight-time PGA Tour winner, plans to compete as well, and YouTube influencers/professional golfers Wesley and George Bryan both made the field.
While Barrett is realistically a longshot to advance through a stacked final qualifying field, he’s proven himself a worthy competitor in high-level amateur golf. He shot a bogey-free round of 68 in the opening round of the U.S. Open qualifying at Northwest Golf Course in Silver Spring on May 5 to advance to this stage. He also made final qualifying in 2023, and he advanced to the Round of 32 in the 2024 U.S. Mid-Amateur.
Barrett says his iron play is a strength, and he’s a reliable driver who can carry the ball 290 yards off the tee consistently. He’s a self-described streaky putter, but perhaps his best traits lately are excellent course management and an unflappable attitude.
“I used to play a lot more when I didn’t have a full-time job,” Barrett said. “I’ve come to know a little bit about myself. Just because you practice so much doesn’t necessarily translate to playing your best golf, especially under tournament conditions and tournament pressure.
“When I started working a full-time schedule. Obviously I didn’t have that amount of time anymore, so I started viewing golf through the lens of, ‘I’m just happy to be out here. I just miss it so much.’ It kind of frees me up in a sense. I can go out there with any expectations, and I just play golf. It’s been working a lot these last couple of years.”
Barrett expertly manages his game — and expectations — while working anywhere from 40-50 hours a week delivering packages for UPS.
“I have my own designated route,” Barrett said. “It’s out here toward Clarksville and Ellicott City. I show up every morning at 9 o’clock and I take my truck out and deliver my route. Sometimes, on a good day I could work eight hours. On a longer day I could work 10 hours, and lately it’s been closer to that 10-hour mark … it’s been a heavy year.”
In addition to his regular weekend round, he’ll occasionally sneak in an extra nine holes or a session at the driving range if he gets off work early. Other times, he’ll skip out on the course to spend extra time with his wife, Julia. The couple is expecting their first child in November.
“There’s going to be even less golf now,” Barrett laughed.
Regardless of what happens Monday, Barrett isn’t taking a chance to play 36 holes at Woodmont against some of the world’s best for granted.
“Any chance I get to go out and play Woodmont, I’m gonna do it,” Barrett said. “That place is so freaking pure.”
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