Vanderbilt's Sargent qualifies for U.S. Open

Only two months after playing in the 2023 Masters Tournament, Vanderbilt sophomore Gordon Sargent has qualified to play in the U.S. Open.

Sargent earned one of three qualifying spots among a field of 43 competing at Hawks Ridge Golf Club in Ball Ground, Ga., on Monday. He shot a nine-under-par 64 in the opening round and followed with a 67 in the second round, finishing with a 13-under-par score of 131 over 36 holes.

In April, the 20-year-old Sargent had been awarded a special invitation to play at The Masters, the first amateur to receive such an invitation in more than 20 years.

His two majors this year come a year after Sargent captured the NCAA Championship as a freshman, winning a four-way playoff to claim the individual national title after shooting 280 through four rounds of stroke play.

Sargent is the second-ranked amateur in the world, according to the World Amateur Golf Ranking, trailing only Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, 23, who actually turned professional last month.

Sargent wasn’t the only golfer with Vanderbilt ties to qualify for the U.S. Open, which will be held at the Los Angeles Country Club June 15-18.

Commodores alum Luke List qualified as well. A four-time All-American from Vanderbilt from 2003-06, List finished nine-under-par over 36 holes at Lakes Golf & Country Club in Columbus, Ohio, tying for third among 103 competitors there. This will be List’s first major since the 2022 Open Championship.