FLINT – Willie Mack III of Grand Blanc is on his way to Pinehurst.
Mack qualified for his first major championship when he earned a spot in next week’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina.
Mack shot 3-under-par 71-70—141 Monday and then won a playoff at The Bear’s Club in Jupiter, Fla., to nab the final available spot in the 124th Open.
He finished tied for fifth place with amateurs Brendan Valdes and Thomas Ponder before making pars on the first two playoff holes to qualify for the Open.
Ponder double-bogeyed the first playoff hole and Valdes missed a par putt on the second.
“I’m just excited,” Mack told Golf Channel. “I’m ready to get out there and see what I can do. I had a tough time on Korn Ferry the last year so to keep plugging along and get to the U.S. Open, it’s exciting.”
Mack played last year on the Korn Ferry Tour – golf’s top minor-league circuit – but didn’t play well enough to keep his playing privileges.
“You’ve just got to keep fighting,” said Mack, 35. “My dad always told me never give up and always keep that in the back of my mind. Just excited to get there and prove what I can do.”
Mack is coming off a victory in a six-man playoff after making birdie on the final hole of regulation to get into the playoff.
“Just to be able to get that done, I’ve got a lot of confidence going right now and hopefully I can keep that going,” he said.
Mack, who turned pro is 2011 after winning the Michigan Amateur Championship, has won more than 75 tournaments. He has played in seven PGA Tour events.
The U.S. Open is June 10-16.
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