Canal Fulton’s Justin Lower Earns Another U.S. Open Spot

South Africa’s Erik Van Rooyen blistered the field at Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club in Powell on Monday, finishing with a 36-hole total of 13-under par 131 to earn medalist honors at U.S. Open Final Qualifying Columbus by a whopping six shots.
A three way tie for second place included a trio of PGA TOUR players: Bud Cauley of Palm Beach Gardens FL, Lanto Griffin of Blacksburg VA, and Canal Fulton’s own Justin Lower.

Lower opened with a 68 in the morning round and continued his steady play in the afternoon with 69, cruising well inside the cut line during his final nine holes. He’ll make his second consecutive U.S. Open appearance starting next week.
Six spots into Oakmont were up for grabs at Kinsale. Harrison Ott of Franklin TN finished solo fifth at 6-under par. Then in a 5-for-1 playoff, Cameron Young from Palm Beach Gardens FL made birdie on the first playoff hole to claim a tee time next week.
Cameron Young birdies the first playoff hole to qualify for the @usopengolf at Oakmont. pic.twitter.com/3IWxh5ekW5
— Ohio Golf Association (@ohiogolf) June 2, 2025
Barberton native Chase Johnson, who now lives in Boynton Beach FL, bested Eric Cole for the first alternate spot and has a great chance to gain a spot in the Oakmont field.
Jim Knous of Basalt CO made a hole-in-one on the fourth hole of his morning round, posting 4-under par 68. He had a chance to make the playoff at 5-under par but missed a par putt at the last to come up one shot short.

OGA Game Story >
— photos, videos and notes courtesy of Jack Rubin, Ohio Golf Association
FINAL RESULTS: United States Golf Association
2025 U.S. Open Final Qualifying – Columbus
Kinsale Golf & Fitness Club, Powell
Monday, June 2, 2025
Golf Genius Hole-by-Hole Results >
QUALIFIERS:
1 Erik Van Rooyen, South Africa 64 – 67 = 131
T2 Bud Cauley, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 69 – 68 = 137
T2 Lanto Griffin, Blacksburg, Va. 69 – 68 = 137
T2 Justin Lower, Akron, Ohio 68 – 69 = 137
5 Harrison Ott, Franklin, Tenn. 67 – 71 = 138
T6 Cameron Young, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 71 – 68 = 139
ALTERNATES:
T6 Chase Johnson, Boynton Beach, Fla. 68 – 71 = 139
T6 Eric Cole, Tequesta, Fla. 70 – 69 = 139
DID NOT QUALIFY:
CUT Max Homa, Scottsdale, Ariz. 69 – 70 = 139
CUT Rickie Fowler, Jupiter, Fla. 70 – 69 = 139
CUT Padraig Harrington, Ireland 74 – 66 = 140
CUT Jim Knous, Basalt, Colo. 68 – 72 = 140
CUT Chez Reavie, Scottsdale, Ariz. 71 – 70 = 141
CUT Brandon Hoelzer, Fremont, Ohio 70 – 71 = 141
CUT Nick Voke, New Zealand 71 – 70 = 141
CUT Owen Sawyer (a), Cedar Falls, Iowa 71 – 70 = 141
CUT Nathan Franks (a), Roebuck, S.C. 70 – 72 = 142
CUT Alexander Noren, Sweden 70 – 72 = 142
CUT James Piot, Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. 70 – 72 = 142
CUT Thomas Lehman, Scottsdale, Ariz. 71 – 71 = 142
CUT Chaz Aurilia, Phoenix, Ariz. 68 – 75 = 143
CUT Jake Knapp, Scottsdale, Ariz. 72 – 71 = 143
CUT Adam Hadwin, Canada 72 – 71 = 143
CUT Daniel Bennett (a), South Africa 68 – 75 = 143
CUT Daniel Svard (a), Sweden 72 – 72 = 144
CUT Carson Lundell, Alpine, Utah 72 – 72 = 144
CUT Matt Kuchar, Jupiter, Fla. 74 – 70 = 144
CUT Troy Taylor II, Westerville, Ohio 74 – 70 = 144
CUT Corey Pereira, Cameron Park, Calif. 71 – 73 = 144
CUT Andrew Walker, Battle Creek, Mich. 74 – 71 = 145
CUT Asaeli Batibasaga, Australia 73 – 72 = 145
CUT Bob Sowards, Dublin, Ohio 71 – 74 = 145
CUT Erik Edwards, Louisville, Ky. 75 – 70 = 145
CUT Brady Madsen, Raymond, Minn. 72 – 73 = 145
CUT Evan Johnson (a), Grosse Ie, Mich. 73 – 72 = 145
CUT Matthew Jennings, Prairie City, Iowa 73 – 73 = 146
CUT Samuel Espinosa-Trueba, Spain 72 – 74 = 146
CUT Peter Myers (a), Pinehurst, N.C. 73 – 74 = 147
CUT Charles Soule (a), Denver, Colo. 74 – 73 = 147
CUT Ethan Farnam, Crystal Lake, Ill. 74 – 73 = 147
CUT Dagbjartur Sigurbrandsson (a), Iceland 71 – 76 = 147
CUT Bryce Emory, Aurora, Ill. 73 – 74 = 147
CUT Peyton Coahran (a), Spicer, Minn. 71 – 77 = 148
CUT Jake Birdwell (a), Blaine, Minn. 75 – 73 = 148
CUT TT Crouch, Mount Vernon, Ohio 75 – 73 = 148
CUT Tyler Sabo (a), Ashland, Ohio 75 – 73 = 148
CUT Jordan Bohannon, Southfield, Mich. 74 – 75 = 149
CUT Mark Goetz, Greensburg, Pa. 76 – 73 = 149
CUT Patrick Rodgers, Jupiter, Fla. 78 – 72 = 150
CUT Bobby Gates, The Woodlands, Texas 74 – 76 = 150
CUT Patrick Keeling (a), Ireland 75 – 75 = 150
CUT Bryce Reed (a), Columbus, Ohio 77 – 74 = 151
CUT Zach Heffernan, Boerne, Texas 72 – 80 = 152
CUT Paul Schlimm Jr., Chicago, Ill. 77 – 75 = 152
CUT Isaac Rumler (a), Moline, Ill. 73 – 79 = 152
CUT Tyler Collet, Vero Beach, Fla. 78 – 75 = 153
CUT Corbin Bentley (a), Westerville, Ohio 77 – 77 = 154
CUT Jack Hiemenz, Blaine, Minn. 80 – 75 = 155
CUT Mason Haynes, Miami, Fla. 80 – 76 = 156
CUT Zak Kozuchowski (a), West Bloomfield, Mich. 76 – 80 = 156
CUT Liam Curtis (a), Kent, Ohio 75 – 81 = 156
CUT Ryan Brooks, Tulsa, Okla. 81 – 77 = 158
WD Hayden Wood, Edmond, Okla. 78 WD
WD Clayton Tribus, Madison, Wis. 80 WD
DNF Christian Heavens, East St. Louis, Ill. 74 DNF
DNF Aman Gupta, Concord, N.C. 76 DNF