SANTA CLARA, Calif. - Former Santa Clara men's golfer Matt McCarty is heading to the 2022 United States Open Championship after a remarkable finish in Monday's qualifying event in Roswell, Ga. With three holes remaining and complete darkness looming, the Scottsdale, Ariz., product appeared to be on the outside looking in for one of the four qualifying spots up for grabs with Patton Kizzire and Erik Barnes holding a two stroke lead for the third and fourth spots, respectively. But McCarty crashed the party as he birdied two of the three holes to force a playoff. Once in the playoff, it took just one hole for McCarty to punch his ticket to one of the premiere events in the game.
✅ Drain a putt for a playoff
— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 7, 2022
✅ Drain another one to get through
✅ FaceTime the crew
The longest day in golf had a storybook ending for @MattMcCarty21.
He is @USOpenGolf bound for the first time. pic.twitter.com/HDJdRWfyI0
McCarty, a two-time All-WCC selection during his time with the Broncos, rolled in a birdie despite complete darkness on the first playoff hole. Barnes followed suit with a birdie of his own, but Kizzire only made par to become the odd man out. McCarty finished the officially tied for third at 6-under 71-67--138. He turned in five birdies as part of his bogey-free second round.
McCarty is the first Bronco since Hayden Shieh (2019) to qualify for the U.S. Open. His former coach, Andrew Larkin, could not be more excited.
"The entire Bronco Family is so proud of Matt and excited to see him tee it up at the U.S. Open," Larkin said. "He has put in the work and earned a chance to play at golf's highest level!"
The 122nd U.S. Open Championship takes place June 16-19 at the Country Club in Brookline, Mass.