Teen Stars and Gritty Journeymen Headline US Open Qualifying Drama
The road to the 2026 US Open at Shinnecock Hills was paved with extraordinary stories during Monday's final qualifying, known as "Golf's Longest Day." From a 17-year-old phenom caddied by Charlie Woods to a Korn Ferry Tour winner racing across the country, the 36-hole gauntlet produced a field rich with compelling narratives ahead of the June 18 championship.
Teens Take Center Stage
Perhaps the most captivating storyline emerged from BallenIsles Country Club in Florida, where 17-year-old Miles Russell secured his spot by surviving a three-man playoff for the final two places. Russell, the top-ranked junior in the country and a Florida State commit, shot a second-round 67 to force extra holes, then drained a mid-range birdie putt on the second playoff hole to punch his ticket.
On his bag throughout the day was his close friend Charlie Woods, also 17 and also committed to Florida State. Woods has often been caddied for by his father Tiger Woods in amateur events, but at BallenIsles, the roles reversed.
"I'm pretty speechless at the moment," Russell told Golf Channel after qualifying for his first major championship. "It's something you dream of and practice for. And it's just really cool."
Russell was not the only teenager to emerge from qualifying. Giuseppe Puebla, the No. 2-ranked junior, shared medalist honors at 7-under 137 in the same Florida qualifier. The Royal Palm Beach native is a member of the U.S. National Junior Team and will play at the University of Florida. In North Carolina, recent high school graduate Jackson Ormond, 18, posted a stunning 12-under 128 to earn his first US Open appearance just two weeks after graduation.
A Marathon of Miles and Holes
While the teenagers made headlines for their precocious talent, the qualifying day's most grueling journey belonged to Ben Kohles. The 34-year-old won the Korn Ferry Tour's BMW Charity Pro-Am on Sunday evening in Greenville, South Carolina, then jumped in a car to catch a flight from Charlotte to Washington, D.C., arriving just in time for his 8:32 a.m. tee time Monday morning at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Maryland.
Exhausted but determined, Kohles played some of the best golf of his year to advance into the US Open for just the second time in his 15-year professional career.
"I feel like my head is still spinning," Kohles said after receiving his invitation. "It's easily the craziest 24-hour stretch of my golf life."
The longest day literally extended into Tuesday for Andrew Putnam and Spencer Tibbitts, whose playoff was suspended by darkness after six extra holes and was set to resume the following morning.
The Stakes and the Backdrop
US Open final qualifying is a brutal test of endurance and nerve. The field of thousands is whittled to just 43 spots in the 156-player championship. The 36 holes played in often sweltering conditions demand physical stamina and mental toughness, weeding out contenders who cannot withstand the pressure.
This year's qualifying had added significance because of the venue. Shinnecock Hills on Long Island has hosted the US Open five times, most recently in 2018, and its demanding layout—with firm, fast conditions and punishing rough—tests every facet of a player's game. For those who survived qualifying, the reward is a chance to compete on one of America's most historic and difficult courses.
Rory McIlroy Voices Concerns
Meanwhile, for the established stars preparing for Shinnecock, the focus is on preparation. Rory McIlroy, who completed the career Grand Slam by winning the Masters last year and successfully defended his green jacket in April, will be among the favorites. McIlroy has not won the US Open since 2011.
But the Northern Irishman has already aired a complaint about the pace of practice rounds, predicting that overcrowding inside the ropes will slow preparation. "Too many people inside the ropes I think is the big part of it," McIlroy said. "Guys are resigned to the fact that they're going to play nine holes, so it's okay to be out there for nine holes and in three hours."
Former Ryder Cup winner Thorbjorn Olesen will not be in the field after withdrawing from a qualifying event while 3-over through 14 holes, ending his hopes of reaching Shinnecock.
Broader Implications and What This Changes
The influx of teenage talent into the US Open field reflects a broader trend: the gap between elite junior golf and professional competition is narrowing. Players like Russell, Puebla, and Ormond—alongside Mason Howell, who returns after being the youngest in the field a year ago, and Hamilton Coleman, the reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion—represent a generation that has grown up competing on national stages from an early age.
Their presence changes the narrative of the US Open from simply a battle among established stars to a showcase of the sport's future. The sight of Charlie Woods caddying for Russell, both future Florida State teammates, underscores how junior relationships are now intersecting with major championship golf.
For the game at large, the qualifying stories of 2026 reinforce that the US Open remains a uniquely democratic championship. It offers hope to the journeyman like Kohles, who crossed time zones for his shot, and to the high schooler still awaiting senior year. As James Colgan, who chronicled the qualifying day at Woodmont, wrote: "These are the stories that make me love golf."
The stage is now set. Shinnecock Hills will test them all—the teenagers, the marathon men, and the stars—beginning June 18. For those who survived Golf's Longest Day, the real test is just beginning.
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