U.S. Open 2026 Final Qualifying: Who's in, who's out and everything you need to know from Golf's Longest Day

The USGA boasts that the U.S. Open is the most democratic championship in the world. And a day like Monday, June 8, is the reason it can do so. At 10 sites around the U.S. and Canada, 713 professionals and amateurs were scheduled to play 36 holes, hoping that at the end of what’s known as Golf’s Longest Day, they were one of those who have earned their way into the national Open from the more than 10,000 golfers who applied. We’ve written before, but we’ll repeat it here: those who advance are a testament to perseverance. For first timers, it’s a dream fulfilled, the chance to say you got to play in a major championship. For veterans, it’s a chance to test yourself again, perhaps for the last time.

More often than not it’s the reactions of the players themselves—the hugs and tears as they walk off the course—that speak more clearly than any words that follow.

There were 43 spots available Monday, the number varying by site. Those who advanced joined the 19 who have already gotten through the first three Final Qualifying events held two weeks ago and the 85 who were fully exempt. (Click here for a complete list of the field so far).

Here are roundups from each of the Final Qualifying sites, letting you know who’s in and who’s out of the 126th U.S. Open.

Gaston Country Club Gastonia, N.C. — 78 players for 5 spots (final leaderboard)

The question facing 18-year-old amateur Jackson Ormond, after he shot an opening 65 at Gaston Country Club in North Carolina, was whether he could handle the nerves of trying to make his first U.S. Open in the afternoon. The Rochester, N.Y., native is bound for the University of Florida in the fall, and he’s the 11th-ranked junior in the AJGA rankings, but with this father watching on, this was an entirely new kind of pressure.

As it turned out, he played even better. Ormond made a clutch eagle on the par-5 seventh hole in the afternoon (his third-to-last hole), then converted a tricky two-putt on the last to close with a 63 and earn co-medalist honors at 12 under.

“It’s a lifelong dream,” he said. “I’ll remember it for a long time, the way my dad supported me throughout my entire career … my whole family, and everything they’ve done, I don’t have the words to describe how grateful I am. I wouldn’t be here, nor would I want to be here, without them.”

Sharing the top spot with Ormond at 12 under were a pair of familiar names—Carl Yuan of China and Houston’s Cole Hammer. There were five spots available at Gaston CC, and the last two were claimed by Brandon Wu and Jackson Van Paris, who birdied the last two holes to grab his spot at 11 under. Their victims were Cristobal Del Solar and Harry Higgs, who both finished one shot outside of qualifying.

Among the bigger names at Gaston, there was little to cheer about. North Carolina native Webb Simpson did not finish after an opening round 70, Bill Haas shot an exceptional 63 in his opening round, only to fade down the stretch, and PGA Tour stalwarts like Doc Redman, Chesson Hadley, Aaron Wise, Ryo Ishikawa, and Troy Merritt all came up well short. —Shane Ryan

More From Golf Digest

Road to Shinnecock U.S. Open 2026: Here’s every player in the field at Shinnecock Hills (so far)

News U.S. Open 2026: Complete local and final qualifying schedule and results

Ranking U.S. Open picks 2026: The 13 best bets to win at Shinnecock Hills

Century Country Club/GC of Purchase Purchase, N.Y. — 79 players for 4 spots (final leaderboard)

The game plan for getting to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club via the USGA’s qualifying site in Purchase, N.Y., was clear. Make your birdies on Purchase Golf Club, a shorter, more tree-lined design, then head next door for your next round and survive the complexities of Century Country Club’s greens.

If identifying and rewarding the best players is the goal of any USGA event, the yin-and-yang of the two neighboring courses—which double as two of the most exclusive clubs in Westchester County—proved an effective method.

Kevin Roy—a former teammate of Xander Schauffele at Long Beach State—earned medalist honors at eight-under with a pair of 67s. He was one of just two players to shoot under par on both courses. The other was PGA Tour pro Max Greyserman, who shot 68-68 to finish six-under and in solo second.

Ben James, the former World No. 1 amateur who recently earned his PGA Tour card via PGA Tour U, and Korn Ferry Tour pro and Westchester native James Nicholas earned the final two spots at two-under over LIV Golf player Matt Jones.

But it was not without late drama.

Nicholas and James each bogeyed the final two holes of their second round playing Century, while amateur Christian Cavaliere eagled his 34th hole of the day at Purchase Golf Club to momentarily jump into a tie for the final spot, forcing a playoff. Had that come to fruition, he would’ve had to drive back to Century where the playoff was due to take place. But a double bogey on his 36th and final hole of the day sent James and Nicholas through.

In all, the field’s scoring average at Century Country Club was almost 3.3 shots higher than at Purchase, which stepped in to fill the role that nearby Old Oaks Country Club, which is undergoing a renovation and usually plays in hosting final U.S. Open qualifying. Purchase was more about mastering the art of “small ball,” Greyserman said. Many players only hit a handful of drivers during their round.

Century’s sloping greens, meanwhile, were fast and fiery. Head professional Nick Yaun said the club hadn’t watered the course since a heavy storm rolled through the area late last week.

“The greens were a good defense and a fair test. Our grounds crew did a phenomenal job. There was a lot of strategic putting, you wanted to make sure you kept your ball below the hole,” Yaun said. “The players got to experience the course just as our membership does.”

And perhaps even got a tiny taste of what the lucky four will face at Shinnecock next week. —Luke Kerr-Dineen

Lakes Golf & Country Club Westerville, Ohio — 54 players for 4 spots (final leaderboard)

Davis Thompson was medalist by two strokes, but all the drama was in the group of four who tied for second place.

Thompson, who has slipped to 134th in the world, added a second-round 67 to a morning 66 for 11-under 133 to qualify for his fifth U.S. Open. The 27-year-old from St. Simons Island, Ga., finished T-9 in 2024 at Pinehurst, the only time he has made the cut in the championship.

Meanwhile, five-time PGA Tour winner J.B. Holmes, limited to 23 events the last four seasons by back problems and who hasn’t competed this year, was the story of the day. An afternoon 65 propelled Holmes to nine-under 135. He was later joined by amateurs Vaughn Harber (67-68) of Blacklick, Ohio, Arni Sveinsson of Iceland (67-68) and Minnesota’s Sam Udovich, who bogeyed his final two holes for a 68. Harber, 20, a junior at Ohio State, made a remarkable late push, going five under on his final five holes, including an eagle-birdie-birdie finish, to force a four-for-three playoff.

Holmes, 44, of Campbellsville, Ky., got up and down for par at the first extra hole, the par-4 10th, to grab one spot, while Harber also made par. Holmes hasn’t played in a major since the 2019 British Open at Royal Portrush, where he shot a final-round 87 after holding a share of the 36-hole lead. He qualified for his 10th U.S. Open, where his best finish is 12th in 2017 at Erin Hills.

Udovich, 19, a former Drive, Chip and Putt national champion, settled for first alternate after he drove into the water and three-putted for double-bogey. Sveinsson, 20, 17th in the World Amateur Golf Ranking, three-putted for bogey but advanced to become the first player from Iceland to play in a U.S. Open. —Dave Shedloski

BallenIsles Country Club Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. — 78 players for 4 spots (final leaderboard)

Youth was served in Palm Beach, where a pair of 17-year-olds advanced to the U.S. Open for the first time.

Giuseppe Puebla, the No. 2-ranked junior in the nation, shared medalist honors at BallenIsles Country Club (East Course) with PGA Tour veteran Ben Silverman at seven under par. The future Florida Gator will be joined at Shinnecock by a future Florida State Seminole in Miles Russell.

The top-ranked junior had a familiar face on the bag in fellow FSU commit Charlie Woods, and he overcame a triple bogey on the 18th hole in his morning round. Russell bounced back to shoot 67 in the afternoon and then advanced from a three-for-two playoff.

“I don’t think it’s quite set in yet,” Russell told Golf Channel. “I’m pretty speechless. It’s something you dream of and practice for. It’s just really cool.”

Ryder Cowan, a senior at the University of Oklahoma and a Haskins Award finalist this season, grabbed the other spot in that playoff.

Tyler Collet, the assistant pro at John’s Island Club in Florida, earned the alternate spot. Collet, 30, has played in the past two PGA Championships and won the 2025 PGA Professional Championship by a record 10 shots.

Three-time DP World Tour winner Christiaan Bezuidenhout finished one shot out of that playoff at five under. Luke Clanton finished one stroke behind that and nine-time PGA Tour winner Matt Kuchar finished in a group at three under. —Alex Myers

Springfield Country Club Springfield, Ohio — 78 players for 5 spots (final leaderboard)

Neal Shipley, low amateur in the Masters and U.S. Open in 2024, made the most of his return to Ohio and won co-medalist honors with veteran tour player Zac Blair, who had advanced out of Springfield for the fourth time. The former Ohio State golfer and 2023 U.S. Amateur runner-up had a second-round 65 to post eight-under 132. Blair, meanwhile, shot 68 to advance out of Springfield for the fourth time in nine tries. It was the third time the 35-year-old Utah native finished medalist or co-medalist.

“It’s great to play well, especially under pressure,” said Shipley, 25, who has made just three of 13 cuts in his rookie season on the PGA Tour. “I haven’t had the best year so far, and it’s nice to hit some meaningful shots.”

Floridian Billy Horschel, eight-time tour winner and 2014 FedEx Cup champion, missed the cut at the Memorial but rebounded on Monday by tying Shipley for low afternoon round with three birdies in his final five holes to finish T-3 at 133. He was joined by fellow tour players Dylan Wu of Medford, Ore., who shot 67-66, and Nick Hardy of Northbrook, Ill. Wu, who has missed his last six cuts on the PGA Tour, shot 67-66. Hardy, medalist here in 2016 as an amateur, birdied his penultimate hole for a second-round 68 to avoid a playoff.

Four players finished six under, and 45-year-old Brandt Snedeker, winner of his 10th tour title last month at Myrtle Beach, earned first alternate. Another Ohio State product, Maxwell Moldovan of Uniontown, Ohio, who had qualified out of Springfield the last four years, grabbed second alternate over amateur Daniel Bennett of South Africa and Austin Greaser from nearby Vandalia, Ohio.

Six-time tour winner Tony Finau, who finished fifth in 2018 at Shinnecock after playing in the final pairing, will miss his third straight major this year and first U.S. Open since 2017. Finau, who twice had come out of this qualifier, played his final nine holes in two over par for a second-round 70 and five-under 135. —Dave Shedloski

Woodmont Country Club Rockville, Md. — 77 players for 4 spots (final leaderboard)

Jackson Suber comfortably earned medalist honors at Woodmont Country Club on Monday with rounds of 65 and 67 to secure a spot in the U.S. Open at Shinnecock. This will be trip No. 2 to the U.S. Open for Suber (2024, 73rd place at Pinehurst), whose 10 under total was three better than the next closest competitors, Ben Kohles and amateur Logan Reilly.

Kohles, fresh off his fifth victory on the Korn Ferry Tour Sunday, will be teeing it up in his second career U.S. Open (2024, T-56 at Pinehurst). Reilly, a freshman at Auburn, is on a similar heater, too, having just gone 3-0 at the NCAA Championship in match play and holing the clinching putt for the team title.

Jake Sollon grabbed the final spot in a two-for-one playoff over amateur Bryan Lee, who is the first alternate. Rising star Blades Brown, who finished one shot out of that playoff, is the second alternate. —Chris Powers

Hawks Ridge Golf Club Ball Ground, Ga. — 78 players for 5 spots (final leaderboard)

Golf’s Longest Day was as long as it could be at Hawks Ridge in Ball Ground, Ga., where persistent rain interrupted play and led to a late finish in the dark. A couple of Georgia Bulldogs and PGA Tour winners, Chris Kirk and Keith Mitchell, were among the five qualifiers.

Kirk, 41, earned medalist honors at 15 under, shooting 65-64 on a soaked golf course ripe for scoring. The six-time PGA Tour winner has played in eight previous U.S. Opens and is coming off his career-best result in the championship, finishing 12th at Oakmont last year.

Mitchell might’ve traded the cashmere for the rain suit, but that didn’t stop him from making 10 birdies in the second round to shoot 63 to charge up the board and take third at 12 under. The 34-year-old will be making his third U.S. Open appearance and his first since 2023. Mitchell’s lone PGA Tour victory came at the 2019 Honda Classic at PGA National.

Jake Peacock, who shot 66-65 to take second, is no stranger to going low in his home state. The 22-year-old Milton, Ga., native won back-to-back Georgia Amateur titles in 2023 and 2024. He graduated from the University of South Florida in 2025 and has been playing on the PGA Tour Americas and the Korn Ferry Tour.

Robbie Higgins, a Korn Ferry Tour player and 2024 graduate of the University of North Florida, made 14 birdies and an eagle in 36 holes en route to qualifying. Higgins finished fourth alongside University of Tennessee sophomore Chase Kyes, who made a 12-footer for birdie on the 36th hole to secure the final qualifying spot in the darkness.

“Growing up with my friends back home, I played so much golf in the dark,” he told Golf Channel. “We’d still get 30 minutes more out of today, so it wasn’t that bad to be honest with you.” —Drew Powell

Lambton Golf & Country Club York, Ontario, Canada — 61 players for 6 spots (final leaderboard)

In a loaded Ontario field spearheaded by six-time PGA Tour winner Max Homa, Ryder Cup champ Rasmus Højgaard and 2006’s Most Ripped Player on Tour (at least according to Golf Digest) Camilo Villegas, six pros made the U.S. Open cut at Lambton Golf & Country Club.

Leading the charge were two Argentinians, Emiliano Grillo and Alejandro Tosti, the latter of which tied the Lambton course record with a 63 in his second round. Grillo, on the other hand, shot a 65-66 to earn medalist honors.

Rounding out the top three was Marcelo Rozo, a three-time PGA Tour Latinoamérica winner hailing from Colombia, who shot a 66-67 and earned his 2026 PGA Tour card via Q-School in December 2025. After that, things got a bit trickier.

With three spots up for grabs and eight golfers in the mix, William Mouw, John Parry and Max McGreevy held on as Homa, Matt Wallace, Adam Svensson, Jordan Smith and Patrick Fishburn all came up short in the playoffs. Mouw birdied the first playoff hole, and Parry and McGreevy finished up the extra-long Canadian day.

Homa also missed out on last year’s U.S. Open after a five-for-one Ohio playoff and only has a T-47 in his six appearances at the vaunted major.

Other notables who won’t be making the trip to Shinnecock include Thorbjorn Olesen (DNF), Beau Hossler (one over), Lanto Griffin (four under) and Garrick Higgo (four over after the first 18 holes). —Greg Gottfried

Del Paso Country Club Sacramento, Calif. — 78 players for 4 spots (final leaderboard)

Taylor Montgomery admitted Monday that he’s been struggling all year and wasn’t quite sure what to expect at the U.S. Open qualifier in Sacramento. He loves playing in California, but he’s missed the cut in all three PGA Tour starts this year and only had a couple decent finishes on the Korn Ferry Tour, but those both came earlier in the season.

Shooting 69-66 helped soothe his soul as the 31-year-old Las Vegas native took medalist honors and the first of four spots at Del Paso Country Club.

“Today it’s probably the best I’ve hit it in a long time and it was a good day to hit it well,” Montgomery said. “I’m pretty excited. It’s a huge confidence boost.”

And now Montgomery will be playing in his fourth U.S. Open and first since 2023.

Joining him will be three amateurs, who all trailed him closely behind. Eric Lee and Matthew Robles both tied for second place, only a shot back. Lee just finished his junior season at Oklahoma State and was part of the Cowboys national championship team a year ago. Robles just finished his sophomore year at Santa Clara and was the West Coast Conference Freshman of the Year in 2025.

Marek Fleming, who just finished his sophomore season at South Carolina, made par on the last hole to finish at four-under total, grabbing the fourth spot by one shot over five other players.

Those failing to qualifying from California were 2006 U.S. Open champion Geoff Ogilvy, Michael Block, amateur Stewart Hagestad and Ricky Barnes. —Jay Coffin

Emerald Valley Golf Club Creswell, Ore. — 54 players for 2 spots (live leaderboard)

Golf’s Longest Day went, well, long—as in so long that it’ll extend into another day. With nine of the 10 sites complete, all eyes turned to Emerald Valley Golf Club in Oregon to determine the final two spots on this Monday.

New pro and University of Oregon product Greyson Leach shot 70-70 to earn top honors on this wild day that included sideways rain for a long time. He’ll be playing in his first major championship.

“This is definitely the hardest it’s ever played,” Leach said of an Emerald Valley layout that he’s played numerous times over the years. “The pins were brutal today.”

With Leach in that left Spencer Tibbits and PGA Tour winner Andrew Putnam to head to a two-for-one playoff to determine the last qualifier of the day. Tibbits, 27, played in the U.S. Open back in 2019 and Putnam, 37, has played in five championships, but none since 2023.

They went six holes, both men making five pars and a bogey, but it finally became so dark that they could not continue. So, after playing 42 holes during the day, much of it in terrible weather, with it being after 9 p.m. in the west—past midnight in the east—both men deemed it time to stop. They’ll duke it out early Tuesday.

“I did a lot of really good things today,” Tibbits told Golf Channel. “Pretty happy with how I hit the ball and happy with how I’m rolling the ball.” —Jay Coffin

Read the full article here