Small group of players will get into U.S. Open due to qualifying change

As Roy McAvoy told us in “Tin Cup,” the U.S. Open is one of the most democratic golf tournaments in the world. “They can’t keep you out,” he said, in part.

This year’s U.S. Open will be different, however, as COVID-19 has impacted the longstanding local and section qualifying, keeping many golfers’ dreams (from guys on the PGA TOUR to driving range owners from West Texas) on the shelf for at least one year.

But with the change in qualifying, golfers on the Korn Ferry Tour have been bestowed a unique opportunity: the top five on the Regular Season Points List at the conclusion of the WinCo Foods Portland Open presented by KraftHeinz will earn a spot into this year’s U.S. Open.

The major, which takes place at the storied Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, New York, is scheduled to begin September 17th.

The Korn Ferry Tour’s Portland event has long been the Regular Season finale with 25 PGA TOUR cards awarded at its conclusion. Another domino of COVID-19 means this week’s WinCo Foods Portland Open is just a part of the 2020-21 wraparound season (with 25 TOUR cards awarded in Portland in 2021 instead) but there is still a sparkling carrot at the end of the week available – the chance for some Korn Ferry Tour members to tee it up in their first major championship.

Here’s a breakdown of who is looking good, and a few notable names with an outside shot to make a big leap.

1. Davis Riley

The University of Alabama alum has played the U.S. Open before (he qualified for the 2015 edition at Chambers Bay and went 73, 80 to miss the cut) and with his two wins already this season he’s secured himself a spot in another. Riley won the Panama Championship earlier in the year and during the Return to Golf he captured the TPC San Antonio Championship at the Oaks. Riley is not in the field in Portland. His 1354 points on the Regular Season Points List has given him a 46-point margin over No. 2 – his roommate Will Zalatoris. Even with a victory this week in Portland, fourth-place Dylan Wu can’t eclipse him – he’s in.

2.Will Zalatoris

The former ACC Player of the Year at Wake Forest has had a wonderfully steady 2020 Korn Ferry Tour season and will be rewarded come September. Zalatoris trails Davis Riley by less than 50 points for top spot on the Regular Season Points list and is in the field in Portland. Zalatoris hasn’t missed a cut this season and has finished inside the top-10 in nine of his 11 starts. Earlier in the Return to Golf Zalatoris went T6-T3-4-1-T5 – with his maiden victory coming at the TPC Colorado Championship at Heron Lakes. This will mark his first major championship start – he’s in.

3. Taylor Pendrith

The Canadian is a proven winner – having lifted two trophies during the 2019 Mackenzie Tour-PGA TOUR Canada season – but a victory on the Korn Ferry Tour seems to be the only thing missing from his resume. Pendrith, a Kent State alum, has been on fire during the Return to Golf having gone T3-2-T2-T2 in his last four tournaments. Other than Davis Riley and Will Zalatoris Pendrith is the only other golfer to have notched more than 1,000 points so far this season. Pendrith has never played a major championship before, and although there are some mathematical equations that could unfold that would see him not get through, it’s nearly a foregone conclusion that he’ll be at Winged Foot in September – he’s basically in.

4. Dylan Wu

Wu, a celebrated alum of Northwestern, has finished in the top-25 in more than half his starts this season, highlighted by a T2 in the very first event of 2020. In fact, Wu had three of his five top-10 finishes in his first five starts of the season. His other two top-10s have come during the Return to Golf and Wu jumped from 5th to 4th in the Regular Season Points List last week. Wu leads No. 5 Mito Pereira by just 21 points and Nos. 6, 7, and 8 (Jared Wolfe, Paul Barjon, and Max McGreevy) by less than 100 points. This is where the drama can really unfold this week – he’s not quite in.

5. Mito Pereira

Pereira is hoping to play in his second straight U.S. Open, after qualifying for last year’s event at Pebble Beach (77-72, CUT). Pereira had a spectacular start to his season going T3-1-T45-4 in his first four starts. He’s cooled off significantly since then – he’s had just one top-25 result in his last seven tournaments – but he remains in the mix for a U.S. Open spot. That said, he’s got a handful of guys nipping at his heels – he’s not quite in.

Who else has a shot?

While Taylor Pendrith has played so well these last four weeks, there is still a mathematical possibility that would have him bumped from a U.S. Open spot. One such example is if Jared Wolfe wins this week and Dylan Wu and Mito Pereira finish T2. The odds for those kinds of scenarios are long, but this is golf and anything can happen – especially in Portland, the home of many-a-dramatic Korn Ferry Tour result.

Here are some quick shots on guys sitting outside the number but with a solid result could make a serious move up the Points List:

• Jared Wolfe: 6th on the Points List (34 points back of 5th), won The Bahamas Great Abaco Classic at Baha Mar, no major championship starts.
• Paul Barjon: 7th on the Points List (44 points back of 5th), has three top-3 finishes this season, no major championship starts.
• Max McGreevy: 8th on the Points List (65 points back of 5th), won the Price Cutter Charity Championship presented by Dr Pepper, no major championship starts.