Somerby Golf Club hosts Regional U.S. Open Qualifier

(ABC 6 News) – Some of the best golfers in the Midwest teed off at Somerby Golf Club in Byron to try and make their dream of making the U.S. Open Championship a reality.

The tournament is one of two in Minnesota giving up-and-coming golfers a chance to move up in the sport. In order to qualify, golfers must have a qualifying handicap of 1.4 or lower, or be a professional. Some were seasoned golfers and others were teens looking to gain more professional experience.

While you won’t see big names like Tiger Woods or Justin Thomas at this level, these types of qualifiers act as a golf ambassador. Giving fans of the sport a chance to meet 78 up-and-coming golfers before they potentially make their PGA Tour debut.

“It could very well be that the person they followed around for three or four holes, turns out to be somebody who plays in the U.S. Open.” Doug Hoffman, Minnesota Golf Association Director of Rules and Competitions said. “and then to see them on television, how exciting is that to be able to experience that and be like, wow I watched that guy play at Somerby.”

Four players will advance to one of 12 sectional qualifiers where they can potentially be seen by the pga tour.

One of the players advancing will be Will Frazier who plays golf for St. Thomas. Frazier came in second place shooting 68 on the day. (4 under par 72)

Despite what may have been a near-perfect day for golfing, Frazier was actually hoping for some tougher weather conditions.

“I actually kind of like it when the weather isn’t perfect,” Fraizer said. “Because I think I tend to play better compared to the competition, the windier it is.

“So today the nice part for me was I put a little bit better than I have been and I was hitting the ball consistently and just stayed patient. It was a good time.”

Somerby will also be the site for the Women’s U.S. Open Qualifier in 2024.

You can find the results from today’s tournaments and future dates for MGA-sponsored tournaments here.