USGA Shuts Down Local & Sectional Qualifying for the US Open

[AceBino]

I just saw this today, and it kinda hit me - not from the perspective of "gee, this was gonna be MY YEAR!!", but more from the perspective of "gee, there were so many players who's dreams have been deferred 1 year".  I realize that this was a good idea on the USGA's part due to the high risk of COVID-19 spread that you would have in these qualifiers, and let's be honest - safety and health comes first.  But I'm curious how this affects others here on the site - from those who are true golf fans and even those who were looking to qualify.

Stay safe and healthy out there.

[TR1PTIK]

How do you call it an "Open" if it's not actually open to all players with the ability to qualify? Just my thoughts on it. 

[DaveP043]

27 minutes ago, TR1PTIK said:

How do you call it an "Open" if it's not actually open to all players with the ability to qualify? Just my thoughts on it. 

This is fair, but I don't believe they had the option of holding the qualifiers that they would like to, that would make it close to previous years.  There were so many moving parts, so many courses, so many different states, each one with different anti-disease procedures and schedules.  So they were faced with the choice of making it basically an invitational, or not holding it.  I'll be happy if the tournament can be played, and disappointed for the players who didn't get a chance at qualifying for what could be a once in a lifetime event.

Would it be better if they renamed it the USGA 2020 (and no other year ever) Invitational?

[TR1PTIK]

1 minute ago, DaveP043 said:

This is fair, but I don't believe they had the option of holding the qualifiers that they would like to, that would make it close to previous years.  There were so many moving parts, so many courses, so many different states, each one with different anti-disease procedures and schedules.  So they were faced with the choice of making it basically an invitational, or not holding it.  I'll be happy if the tournament can be played, and disappointed for the players who didn't get a chance at qualifying for what could be a once in a lifetime event.

Would it be better if they renamed it the USGA 2020 (and no other year ever) Invitational?

Yeah, I understand the logistics of it. I don't know what I'd do in that situation honestly, just sucks because I know a few guys who usually try to qualify. Plus, that's one of the more interesting aspects of an open tournament - we could get another Corey Conners (presumably, though admittedly unlikely).

[DaveP043]

18 minutes ago, TR1PTIK said:

Yeah, I understand the logistics of it. I don't know what I'd do in that situation honestly, just sucks because I know a few guys who usually try to qualify. Plus, that's one of the more interesting aspects of an open tournament - we could get another Corey Conners (presumably, though admittedly unlikely).

A friend of mine qualified and played in the US Senior Open last year, and I'm sure he would have tried to qualify again this year.  His son is a college golfer (D-3 Honorable Mention All American) and I'm pretty sure he was planning to try to qualify.  They would both be long shots even to get in, but who knows.  Its sad to see opportunities lost for thousands of people.

Edited May 19, 2020 by DaveP043

[revkev]

This is a year like no other - my daughter just graduated from high school with honors - a huge accomplishment for a disabled person who had a horrible auto immune disorder strike her half way through junior year.

She graduated to crickets :(

There is no denying that lots of people are being impacted by this - I’m currently watching a financial report fromRaymond James - lots of people are going to continue to be impacted


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

[TR1PTIK]

2 hours ago, revkev said:

This is a year like no other - my daughter just graduated from high school with honors - a huge accomplishment for a disabled person who had a horrible auto immune disorder strike her half way through junior year.

She graduated to crickets

There is no denying that lots of people are being impacted by this - I’m currently watching a financial report fromRaymond James - lots of people are going to continue to be impacted


Sent from my iPhone using MyGolfSpy

Congratulations to your daughter! That is an awesome achievement! It really is unfortunate about all of the seniors this year though.  

[Golfspy_CG2]

It seems everyday there is an announcement made that impacts someone in a very big way.  I don't have kids, so I can't feel the pain that a lot of parents are feeling for their kids with al the spring and summer sports that have been cancelled.   I realize for many of these kids it's not just about a game, it may be their ticket to college, or a championship they have worked years for.   

Same goes for the the many AM's that had planned on doing US Open qualifying, I've known guys in the past that have put an entire year of work and family and such on hold to try and get that shot.   I couldn't imagine how someone that has done that this year would be impacted. 

Just a really bad situation in so many areas that affects so many people in different but yet equally hard ways. 

[revkev]

6 hours ago, TR1PTIK said:

Congratulations to your daughter! That is an awesome achievement! It really is unfortunate about all of the seniors this year though.  

Thanks!  It truly is and as so many have written there are tons of people impacted in tons of different ways, from weddings, to graduations, to US Open qualifiers to whatever - I'm not wanting to leave anything out.  For us we had tickets to the Rays/Brewers this weekend - Penny loves the Brewers and was so excited to come here.  We also had planned to take her to Cooperstown as her graduation present before college started in August.  Her neurologist has already said that she should count on her first semester being virtual even though Florida State schools are planning to open live for Fall semester.

 

Sorry to thread jack, just illustrating that I get people's pain as they miss out on stuff.  For that borderline guy this may have been the year that his game came together and now he'll never know.  That could haunt a person more than missing a live graduation.