Maxwell Moldovan will play in the U.S. Open for the second year in a row.
The Ohio State golfer found out he would be playing in this week’s national championship at Los Angeles Country Club on Sunday night, when he received a call from USGA senior director Robbie Zalzneck informing him that he had earned a spot in the field as an alternate.
HOLY SMOKES!!
— Ohio State Mens Golf (@OhioStateMGOLF) June 12, 2023
The moment @MoldovanMaxwell got that call that he was IN this weeks U.S. Open @usopengolf #GoBucks pic.twitter.com/FAZxeWKZ96
Moldovan’s place in the field was well-deserved, as he couldn’t have come closer to earning a berth during final qualifying last week. After tying for fourth place in 36 holes of play at Springfield (Ohio) Country Club last Monday, Moldovan advanced to a three-way playoff for the final two qualifying spots out of Springfield and played eight playoff holes before he was beaten out for the final berth by former Iowa golfer Alex Schaake.
That left Moldovan as the third alternate for this week’s tournament, ultimately resulting in him receiving the final spot in the 156-man field when it was filled out on Sunday night.
Moldovan, who missed the cut in his first U.S. Open last year, is coming off an excellent junior year for the Buckeyes. He finished in the top 10 in 10 of 13 events played, including one win and seven top-fives, and broke his own single-season scoring record with an average of 70.64 strokes per round.
He will be one of two Ohio State products in the field for this week’s major, joining former Ohio State golfer Ryan Armour, who earned the final qualifying spot in Toronto last Monday to make his first-ever U.S. Open.
The U.S. Open begins Thursday and will conclude Sunday at Los Angeles Country Club. Televised coverage of the tournament will air on NBC, USA and Peacock.
