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Dentist qualifies for US Open with golf masterclass to earn shock Oakmont invite
Reach Daily Express | June 3, 2025 7:39 PM CST

Matthew Vogt, a dentist by profession, has astonishingly qualified to play in the U.S. Open at Oakmont next week.

Vogt shot 68 in both rounds at Walla Walla in Washington on Monday, finishing eight-under and securing one of the two available spots at the final qualifying session for the 2025 U.S. Open. He will be joined by Brady Calkins, who scored seven-under.

While big names like Masters champion Rory McIlroy, PGA Championship winner Scottie Scheffler, and defending U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau are set to compete, the beauty of open tournaments is that anyone can qualify. Vogt is one of the few Cinderella stories entering this year's U.S. Open.

Final qualifying for the U.S. Open, known as 'Golf's Longest Day' is a gruelling 36-hole test. Even professionals such as Max Homa and Rickie Fowler can struggle to secure a spot in the tournament.

Born in Pittsburgh and currently working as a dentist in Indianapolis, Vogt has officially navigated the gauntlet to book his place in the field at Oakmont for the 125th edition of the U.S. Open.

"I told you, I'm going to try not to cry," an emotional Vogt told Golf Channel. "We stayed present all day. I knew I could do this... I just knew I could do it."

Vogt is over the moon after cementing his place at Wine Valley Golf Club, and he's feeling a wave of nostalgia for Pittsburgh. Reminiscing about his beginnings, Vogt said: "Oakmont, and Pittsburgh, and everything there just means so much to me. Having grown up in Pittsburgh and caddying there, it took every ounce of energy in my body to not think about that all day. And I'm just so proud of staying present and staying in the moment."

He couldn't contain his elation at his achievement, expressing it vividly: "I feel like I'm going to wake up from a dream here and this isn't going to be real, and I'm so excited."

Having spent six years caddying at Oakmont, Vogt is quite familiar with the course, but he also admitted that too close a knowledge can sometimes backfire.

Turning heads with his remarkable performance, Vogt shared his thoughts: "I haven't seen the recent renovations,

"I haven't been back since the 2021 USAM, and it was very hard then, so.."

However, he remains confident about his growth in the sport: "I'm a different player. I'm a better player, I know that. But I'm playing with the best players in the world so I will soak up every single second of that week and stay insanely present."

Overwhelmed by the trajectory of his golfing career, Vogt added: "It's just a dream come true, it truly is. To continue to play amateur tournaments and to continue to play around the country and just grind... I love this game, and it does so much for me, and just validating all the hard work... I'm speechless. Truly."

Sadly, Vogt's father passed away two months ago. When asked if his father will be with him at Oakmont, Vogt responded: "Yes, yeah. I mean, the ribbon on my hat here is him. We talked about golf, but he didn't really teach me the game. We love sports and shared that bond.

"When I was starting to play golf again and take this seriously, he was always the one guy who was tracking me. He was texting me after every birdie, and I knew he was tracking me today.

"I was looking up to the skies, and I knew he was with me - he'll always be with me. I wish he was here to share it with, but I know he's watching."

The 2025 U.S. Open Championship will take place from June 12-15 at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania.


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