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BYU’s Rhett Rasmussen tees of in this week’s US Open

By Shaun Gordon

SOUTHAMPTON, NY - JUNE 12: USGA flags are displayed during a practice round prior to the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 12, 2018 in Southampton, New York. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
SOUTHAMPTON, NY - JUNE 12: USGA flags are displayed during a practice round prior to the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 12, 2018 in Southampton, New York. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images) /
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BYU Golf will be represented at the US Open this weekend, but it’s not a golfer you’d expect.

It’s not Mike Weir.

It’s not Daniel Summerhays.

In fact, it’s not even a professional golfer. Or a former Cougar for that matter. It’s a current Cougar.

BYU’s Rhett Rasmussen earned the opportunity to play in the US Open with amateur status, and now he’ll get to meet and compete against the greatest golfers in the world.

The US Open boasts an interesting format compared to other golf tournaments. Half of the golfers earn exemptions that qualify them for the tournament automatically. Those exemptions are given for things such as:

  • The last 10 US Open winners
  • The last 5 Masters winners
  • The last 5 PGA Championship winners
  • The last 5 British Open Winners
  • The 30 players who competed in the 2017 Tour Championship

All in all, 78 golfers earned an automatic spot in the US Open. The other 78 qualified through local and sectional tournaments.

Rasmussen, who just completed his sophomore season at BYU, competed in the San Francisco sectional. The qualifier consisted of two rounds, and Rasmussen shot a 66 and a 71. With a third-place finish, he was among the five players who qualified for the open.

Now he’ll get to tackle one of the toughest courses in the country, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York.

He’ll be in the final threesome to tee off from the Hole 1 on Thursday, starting at 12:42 pm MT with Michael Herbert and Michael Block.

On Friday, that same threesome will tee off starting on Hole 10 at 6:57 am MT.

Fans can follow Rasmussen on FS1 for the first half of Thursday’s round, and then the coverage will shift to FOX. On Friday, his whole round will be on FS1.

If Rasmussen makes the cut, both of the weekend rounds will air on Fox.

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