Seneca Valley grad who caddied at Oakmont qualifies for U.S. Open

Seneca Valley grad Matt Vogt is returning to the course where he used to caddie to play in the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in less than two weeks.

Vogt was the medalist in qualifying at the Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla, Wash., shooting a pair of matching 4-under par 68s to earn one of two spots in the U.S. Open available to the field in the event.

Monday was the final day of qualifying for the Open, with 36-hole tournaments being held in 10 locations across the U.S. and Canada. It is known as “Golf’s Longest Day.”

“I knew I could do this,” Vogt told the Golf Channel, fighting back tears. “I knew I could do it, and Oakmont and Pittsburgh and everything there, it means so much to me, having grown up in Pittsburgh and caddying there. It took every ounce of energy in my body not to think about that all day. I’m just so proud of staying present, staying in the moment. I feel like I’m going to wake up from a dream here in a little while, this isn’t going to be real, but it’s real and I’m so excited.”

A caddie turned dentist turned U.S. Open competitor! ???? ???? ????

If you watch one Golf's Longest Day interview, make sure it's this one from Matthew Vogt. pic.twitter.com/f1WEehPfsG

— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 3, 2025

Vogt, 34, placed fourth at the PIAA tournament in 2008 while a student at Seneca Valley and went on to play college golf at Butler University in Indianapolis. He caddied at Oakmont for six years while in school. Now a dentist in Indiana, he played in the U.S. Amateur at Oakmont in 2021.

Central Catholic grad Neal Shipley tried to qualify at Emerald Dunes Golf Club in West Palm Beach. Play was suspended Monday evening due to bad weather and will be completed Tuesday morning. The projected cut was 7-under par for four spots, and Shipley was tied for 15th at 4-under through 24 holes.

Jake Sollon of Peters Township competed at Summit, N.J. for one of four spots. He finished his two rounds at 5-over par. The cut was 5-under.

Greensburg’s Mark Goetz and former Fuhrer winner Eric Cole were in Columbus bidding for one of six spots.

Cole finished as a second alternate at 5-under. Goetz finished at 5-over. Others notable names missing the cut were Max Homa, Rickie Fowler, Padrig Harrington and Matt Kuchar.

At Springfield, Ohio, Patrick Kelly of Erie finished 8-over and failed to qualify.

There were four golfers with Western Pa. ties competing at Woodmont Country Club In Rockville, Md. where 3-under was the cut line.

Sewickley’s Jason Li shot a 3-over, Tim Peters of State College was 7-over, Penn-Trafford’s Nick Turowski was 15-over and Penn State’s T.J. Howe did not finish.

Oakmont pro Devin Gee competed in a Dallas qualifier May 19 and did not advance. There were seven spots available, and Gee ended up shooting a 77 and 80.