Local U.S. Open qualifying: Former BYU star Carson Lundell, four others advance to final qualifying

When he lined up a 12-foot birdie putt on the 18th green at Willow Creek Country Club on Monday afternoon, former BYU golfer Keanu Akina figured that the tricky downhill slider could be the difference between making the cut at the local U.S. Open qualifying, or having to survive a playoff for one of the five berths into sectional qualifying.

Turns out, Akina was exactly right. His putting stroke was true as well, and he gave a little fist pump as the ball fell into the hole, giving him a score of 6-under par 66 on a hot, breezy day in Sandy.

“I just felt like the way the course was playing, six (under) would be, maybe not comfortable, but a little bit comfortable,” said Akina, who graduated from BYU in 2024 and turned pro shortly after that. “I thought five (under) would be a playoff. That’s just what it felt like. I didn’t want to run it by too far. It is a good thing it went in.”

Good for Akina, bad for Parker Bunn, a BYU freshman who shot a 5-under 67 and is now the first alternate. Utah Tech’s KJ Ofahengaue is the second alternate, emerging from a pack of three golfers who shot 68s, including BYU’s Simon Kwon and former BYU golfer Zac Jones.

“It felt good to make that, because it doesn’t always go that way with golf,” said Akina, who is the older brother of BYU star freshman Kihei Akina. “I’ve gained a lot of experience playing pro for the past two years. I’ve been right on the (cut) number, or missed a playoff. So every time you can get through something and qualify, it feels really good.”

Because of his status in the world of amateur golf, Kihei Akina was exempt from local qualifying and moves right into final qualifying, which is mostly on June 8, the so-called “longest day of golf,” at 10 sites around the country.

Golfers don’t know exactly which sectional they will play in; When they register for local qualifying, they are asked to list 2-3 preferences for the final qualifying.

Keanu Akina couldn’t remember which courses he listed, only that the one in Sacramento at Del Paso Country Club seemed to make the most sense.

About an hour after Akina drained his clutch birdie putt, former BYU golfer Carson Lundell came in with an 8-under 64 to claim medalist honors. Lundell played the par-35 front nine at just 1-under, then shot a 30 on the par-37 back nine to win medalist by two shots.

Also qualifying on Monday were University of Utah golfer Brandon Robison, former Utah Open champion Dusty Fielding, BYU freshman Jackson Mauss and Akina. They all shot 6-under 66s.

Robison recently graduated with a degree in finance and will represent the Utes at the NCAA Men’s Golf Championships Columbus (Ohio) Regional next week. The Viewmont High product birdied his first three holes, then made a double-bogey on the par-3 5th hole when he hit his tee shot near the green, but couldn’t find it.

However, rather than sulk over the unlucky lost ball penalty, Robison shot a 5-under 32 on the back nine to qualify.

“That lost ball kind of knocked me back, but then I just kept to my process and hit good shots,” Robison, 24, said. “I struck it well today. I played the five par-5s well, drove a couple greens.”

Like Akina, Robison had trouble remembering which final qualifying site he listed as a preference. He just knows that he’s well equipped to play 36 holes in one day, which is what will happen at the final qualifying sites.

After the NCAAs, Robison plans to turn pro.

“I can’t think of a better way to start my professional career than at a major,” he said. “This is one step closer to that. Obviously, you gotta make it through the longest day in golf, but yeah, that’s the goal.”

As for Keanu Akina, the $250 entry fee was money well-spent for a chance to chase his dream.

“Everyone dreams of playing in the U.S. Open,” he said, noting that “The Greatest Game Ever Played” is one of his favorite golf movies and is about the 1913 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.

“I have probably watched that movie 100 times. … There is still a rough road ahead in final qualifying, but if you have one good day, two good rounds, you are in the U.S. Open. It is a long shot, but it is worth it.”

BYU’s Barragan tied for 6th at regionals

Also Monday, BYU golfer Maria Jose “MJ” Barragan is tied for sixth at 3-under 69 in the NCAA Women’s Louisville Regional in Kentucky. Competing as an individual because she qualified for regionals but her team did not, Barragan made three birdies and no bogeys on Monday.

To advance to the NCAA Championships at Omni La Costa Resort in California, Barragan will need to finish as the low individual not on an advancing team.