The 126th U.S. Open wrapped up on Sunday evening at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, where the Virginia Cavaliers were well represented as four former ’Hoos — Ben James, Bryan Lee, Ben Kohles, and Jimmy Stanger — each earned their chance to compete for golf’s third major of the year.
While Wyndham Clark held on for the title, surviving a Sunday charge by runner-up Sam Burns, UVA’s James and Kohles each made the cut and finished as part of a nine-way tie for 23rd (+5 for the tournament). It was an impressive showing for James and Kohles at Shinnecock, one of the most challenging golf courses in the United States, where no player finished under par the last time it hosted the U.S. Open in 2018.
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James, who finished up his Virginia career by leading the ’Hoos to a second consecutive ACC championship in May, started his weekend off strong with a 69 (-1) on Thursday. Though Shinnecock flexed its difficulty on Friday and Saturday, James bookended his tournament with a strong closing-round 67 (-3), tied for the second-lowest score of the day, on Sunday afternoon. It was the third-straight U.S. Open appearance (first as a professional) for James and the first time that the former ’Hoo has made the cut in the event.
The second former Cavalier to make it through to the weekend, Kohles, a long-time Korn Ferry Tour vet who was a two-time ACC Player of the Year (2010, 2011) and a Second-Team All-American (2012) during his time at UVA, delivered a consistent four days of play in his third U.S. Open appearance. Kohles posted a pair of even-par rounds on Thursday and Sunday, building off a strong recent stretch of golf that included his fifth professional victory earlier this month at the BMW Charity Pro-Am.
Another senior on this past season’s UVA squad, Bryan Lee made a second-straight U.S. Open start on Thursday after failing to make the cut at Oakmont last summer. Though his weekend was again cut short, finishing +7 through two rounds and just outside the +5 cutline, Lee was competing as an amateur at Shinnecock. Along with James, Lee was a pivotal member of Virginia’s 2025 National Runner-Up team.
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The final ’Hoo at this year’s event, Jimmy Stanger made his triumphant U.S. Open debut after turning pro in 2017. The first-ever UVA player to be named a First-Team All-American (2017), Stanger also finished +7 through two rounds, narrowly missing the cut. It was a memorable moment for Stanger, nonetheless, who has dealt with some recent injury trouble.
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