Harrington's pursuit of a US Open spot appears to fall short in qualifying round
In a nail-biting turn of events, golf legend Padraig Harrington, three-time major winner, fell just short of qualifying for the 2025 US Open by the slimmest of margins, despite an impressive final round 66 at the Columbus, Ohio qualifier.
initially looked bleak for Harrington after a lackluster first 18 holes, scoring a two-over par 74. However, he reignited his flame on the outward nine of his second round, chaining together birdies on the third, fourth, seventh, eighth, and ninth holes. This streak lifted him to four-under overall and tied for sixth position, securing a spot in the play-off.
Unfortunately, the birdies seemed to dry up after the 11th hole, and a dropped stroke on the 17th effectively ended his chances. He managed to finish the "longest day" on four-under, currently tied with 11th place. Unfortunately, six players had already completed their rounds on five-under or better, including Erik Van Rooyen, Cameron Young, Max Homa, and Rickie Fowler.
Back in 2012, Harrington boasted a best finish at the US Open, placing tied for fourth at Olympic Club. He last played in the tournament in 2023, finishing tied for 27th after qualifying through his US Senior Open victory the previous year.
Meanwhile, 2010 US Open champion Graeme McDowell is grappling to secure a spot for the 2025 US Open, currently sitting at four-under par after 10 holes at the Emerald Dunes qualifier in Florida. McDowell is now three strokes behind the leaders, with players in Florida set to tee off again on Tuesday following a suspension due to bad weather.
Meanwhile, Seamus Power's US Open aspirations ended following a two-over par opening round of 72 at Lambton Country Club in Canada. Tom McKibbin also missed out on qualification, finishing at two-over par with the qualifying cut set at -3, at Duke University Golf Club in North Carolina.
In a more positive note, England's Tyler Weaver will make his US Open debut after earning one of five qualifying spots in Atlanta. Weaver finished the day tied for third at 11-under at Piedmont Driving Club, having opened with a 67 in the first round and surging ahead in the second round with five birdies. Joining him will be fellow countryman Matt Wallace, who finished the two-round event at seven-under-par.
Despite Padraig Harrington's impressive final round of 66 in the Columbus, Ohio qualifier, he missed the chance to join the 2025 US Open by a slim margin, as six other players had already secured spots with better scores. On a brighter note, sports enthusiasts may look forward to the US Open debut of England's Tyler Weaver, who earned one of the qualifying spots in Atlanta with a strong performance.
