Royal Palm Beach’s Giuseppe Puebla entered “Golf’s Longest Day” with two simple ambitions in mind.
“My goal was to just have fun and beat as many pros as I could,” Puebla said.
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By sunset, the 17-year-old amateur had beaten all but one pro in the 73-man field, qualifying for the United States’ golf national championship with one of his close friends on the bag as his caddie.
Safe to say the fun part was accomplished, too.
Puebla shot 7-under (69-68), tying PGA Tour veteran Ben Silverman for first place in Florida’s U.S. Open qualifier on Monday, June 8 at BallenIsles Country Club’s East Course in Palm Beach Gardens.
He’ll now compete in the 126th U.S. Open from June 18-21 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, a reality that was still settling in the morning after his 36-hole whirlwind.
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“It was so tiring playing 36. I was just trying to get off the golf course,” Puebla said. “By the time I finished, I don’t think it really set in [that I qualified].”
Golf’s Longest Day: How Giuseppe Puebla, Miles Russell qualified for the 2026 U.S. Open
Puebla, ranked No. 2 in the American Junior Golf Association’s Rolex Rankings, made the most of his familiar surroundings at the U.S. Open qualifier.
His home club, Mayacoo Lakes in West Palm Beach, has a reciprocal relationship with BallenIsles Country Club. With Mayacoo closed on Mondays during the summer, Puebla said he’d been using the opportunity to get experience on the BallenIsles East course for the past month.
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Puebla also had help throughout the day from his caddy, Hampton Beebe, an Auburn University golf signee who won an FHSAA varsity state title with Dwyer High last fall.
Royal Palm Beach’s Giuseppe Puebla competes in Florida’s U.S. Open qualifier at BallenIsles Country Club (East) on Monday, June 8, 2026 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
He was not the only junior to choose a friend as his caddy.
Miles Russell, the No. 1 player in the AJGA Rolex Rankings, put Charlie Woods, son of 15-time major champion Tiger Woods, on his bag for the 36-hole odyssey. Russell survived a 3-for-2 playoff in the waning daylight on Monday to grab the final U.S. Open qualifying spot.
“It’s such a long stressful day that I think you want a familiar face on the bag,” Puebla said of the choice. “Just someone that you can rely on. If it’s someone you don’t know, you’re kind of trucking the whole day and just trying to stay alive. To have someone who is close to you is pretty nice.”
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It’s unclear whether Beebe and Woods will caddy for their friends at the 126th U.S. Open. Both Puebla and Russell expressed a desire to have them on their bags, though logistical hurdles like Beebe’s Auburn schedule remain.
Royal Palm Beach’s Giuseppe Puebla competes in Florida’s U.S. Open qualifier at BallenIsles Country Club (East) on Monday, June 8, 2026 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Even if Beebe isn’t able to make it, Puebla can rest assured he won’t be alone in New York for his major championship debut.
His family, which runs Mario the Baker, an Italian restaurant in Royal Palm Beach, will be making the trip to support their 17-year-old prodigy. After all, there are plenty of housing and travel plans that now have to be made on short notice.
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Such planning is nothing new for the Puebla family. In a greenside interview with the Golf Channel after his U.S. Open qualification, Giuseppe credited his father and mother for their support system, which has allowed him to test himself against elite juniors and even professionals in preparation for this moment.
“I think the more reps you get in against guys like that, you kind of start playing up,” Puebla said. “I play a lot of minor league golf in my area. To be able to play with guys every week that have status on Korn Ferry and other mini tours, it’s really awesome.”
Eric J. Wallace is deputy sports editor for The Palm Beach Post. He can be reached at [email protected].
Royal Palm Beach’s Giuseppe Puebla competes in Florida’s U.S. Open qualifier at BallenIsles Country Club (East) on Monday, June 8, 2026 in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
Miles Russell (left) plays a U.S. Open qualifier with Charlie Woods (right) as his caddy on Monday, June 8 at the BallenIsles Country Club (East) in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Giuseppe Puebla, top junior golfer, earns U.S. Open qualification spot
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