There is something appealingly fairy-tale like about the notion of a true open championship where everybody has a chance. Taking advantage of that opportunity is quite another thing. That鈥檚 what Island golfers Nolan Thoroughgood of Victoria and Tristan Mandur of Duncan have done in advancing to the final round of qualifying for the 2021 U.S. Open from June 17 to 20 at Torrey Pines.
Both are former B.C. Amateur champions and currently in the NCAA Pac-12, Thoroughgood with the Oregon State Beavers and Mandur with the University of Utah Utes. Royal Colwood member Thoroughgood won his regional qualifier this week in Portland with a scorching 6-under 66. Mandur went to a three-player playoff to advance through his regional qualifier in Salt Lake City.
鈥淚t鈥檚 cool to have a chance to play in a major,鈥� said Thoroughgood.
But there is no room for error. The process of elimination is brutal, as it must be to winnow down the large all-comers fields. You pretty much need to top the leaderboard to move on.
鈥淵ou have to go low [score] but I have been playing well and striking the ball hard,鈥� said Thoroughgood.
Each player at this stage has his choice of three final-round qualifiers to choose from May 24 to June 7. Thoroughgood is leaning toward a final qualifier in Washington state and Mandur the one in Los Angeles.
It鈥檚 a longshot dream but that dream is still alive.
鈥淚t鈥檚 sweet to get one step closer. Let鈥檚 see what happens,鈥� said Shawnigan Lake School-graduate Mandur, formerly with Arbutus Ridge and now Duncan Meadows.
Mandur is the defending B.C. Amateur champion and won the 118th version last year in Kelowna. Thoroughgood was only 15 when he became the youngest player to win the B.C. Amateur in 2016.
Thoroughgood and Mandur are juniors in the Pac-12 but both have two seasons of NCAA eligibility remaining because a season has been added on to make up for the year lost to the pandemic. Both are considering taking swings at pro golf after their university careers. And who knows? They may even get to the U.S. Open before that.