Bragging rights and school pride are always on the line in sports. Golf is no different.
The 121st U.S. Open at Torrey Pines is this week in San Diego, and among the many story lines is which colleges have the most representation.
Maybe it’s not a surprise but the Georgia Bulldogs will have the most college alums on the South Course. Only three countries—the United States, England and South Africa—will have more golfers in San Diego than Georgia will have among the 156-golfer field.
The first round tees off Thursday. Here’s a closer look at the three schools with the most players competing in the tournament.
Bubba Watson at a 2018 game between the Georgia Bulldogs and the Alabama Crimson Tide in Atlanta. (Photo: John David Mercer-USA TODAY Sports)
Two-time Masters champ Bubba Watson leads the Georgia Bulldog contingent at Torrey Pines. Watson will be making his 15th U.S. Open start. His best finish was a tie for 5th in 2007 when the tournament was at Oakmont. He was T-31 last year but he’s missed the cut in eight of the 14 Opens he’s played. After a strong three days, Harris English finished with a 74 at the Palmetto Championship at Congaree. He opened 2021 with a win at the Sentry Tournament of Champions, his first win in seven years. Brian Harman, a three-time All-American at Georgia, tied for second in 2017 at Erin Hills. Russell Henley tied for low-amateur honors in the 2010 U.S. Open, which was held at Pebble Beach. His last Open appearance was in 2018 at Shinnecock. Kevin Kisner was on the 2005 Georgia team that won the NCAA title. Brendon Todd was on that team, too. Todd has two top-10s so far this season. Greyson Sigg won on the Korn Ferry Tour for the first time in March, then got through qualifying last week. He was the Georgia team captain as a senior in 2017. The Bulldogs have an amateur in the U.S. Open field as well, as 23-year-old fifth-year senior Spencer Ralston qualified out of the sectional in Atlanta.
Phil Mickelson watches from the sidelines during the Arizona State game vs. Stanford at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Arizona. Photo by Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
Phil Mickelson headlines this list of former Sun Devils in the field. Lefty is back in his hometown, earning his way in with his PGA Championship win after initially getting in the field on a special invitation. Jon Rahm is also in the field after a close call. The last we saw of him, he was receiving unexpected news of a positive COVID test at the Memorial. He was leading by six after 54 holes but had to withdraw. On Saturday, he announced he has been cleared to play. Also in the field: Paul Casey and Matt Jones, who earned exemptions, and Chez Reavie and Chan Kim, who made it in through sectional qualifying. Reavie was at Congaree just three days after qualifying for Torrey Pines and posted a T-14 finish Sunday.
Jordan Spieth watches a Texas college football game against Rice at Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in Austin, Texas. Photo by Associated Press
Jordan Spieth headlines the list of former Texas Longhorns in the field. He won the U.S. Open in 2015 and is one of only six golfers to win the U.S. Open in the same year after winning the Masters. Scottie Scheffler, still seeking his first win on the PGA Tour, will make his fourth Open start. He missed the cut in two of the three he’s played, with his best finish a T-27 in 2017. Jhonattan Vegas is headed to San Diego after battling through a 5-for-4 playoff at the Columbus, Ohio, sectional. He had a nice week of preparation at the Palmetto Championship at Congaree. Vegas tied for second, posting his third top-10 finish this season and his best finish since a solo second at Puerto Rico in February. Dylan Fritelli also made it through the Columbus qualifier. He and Spieth were college teammates in 2012 when the Longhorns won the NCAA championship at The Riviera Country Club in Pacific Palisades, California. A pair of Longhorns, Pierceson Coody and Cole Hammer, are in the field as amateurs.
