Matthews
Brandon Matthews is keeping busy.
Between Korn Ferry Tour events last weekend and this weekend in his continued pursuit of a full-time spot on the PGA Tour, the Pittston Area graduate played in a 36-hole sectional qualifier Monday and earned his first appearance in a professional major.
Matthews will play in the U.S. Open Thursday through Sunday at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass. after surviving a playoff in a qualifier at Old Oaks and Century in Purchase, N.Y.
Playing in one of nine sectional qualifiers around the country, Matthews part of a field of 57 professional and 35 amateurs chasing five available spots in the U.S. Open. The field was made up of players who had survived local qualifying or who had exemptions into the sectional level.
Matthews started with an even-par, 70 on the Old Oaks course, then shot 2-under-par, 68 on the Country Course to end up in an eight-way tie for third place, one shot behind Chris Gotterup and amateur Caleb Manuel.
After the eight players started their playoff for three spots with pars, Matthews, Fran Quinn and amateur Michael Throbjornsen each birdied the second hole to survive the playoff. Quinn is the brother of Matthews’ Temple University coach, Brian Quinn.
While still at Temple in 2013, Matthews made another United States Golf Association national championship event at The Country Club in Brookline, reaching the quarterfinals of the U.S. Amateur. At 19 years old, he also was the first alternate for a spot in the U.S. Open at Merion, but a spot never opened open.
“That was a really big year for me,” Matthews said in an interview last summer. “I played very, very good golf throughout the entire year. I believe I got to 30-something in the world (rankings) for amateurs at some point.
“The momentum that gave me propelled me to an incredible next year, year and a half. I ended up, off of that year, the next fall and spring in college, that was the year I earned All-American status, too.
“When you’re riding high, it’s a beautiful thing.”
The 2022 season is shaping up as another big one for Matthews.
With the help of a win in the Astara Golf Championship, he is currently sixth on the Korn Ferry Tour Points List, needing a top 25 finish to wind up on the PGA Tour next season.
Matthews finished tied for 37th at the REX Hospital Open in Raleigh, N.C. last week at 6-under-par, 278 after weekend rounds of 71 and 69.
Following rounds of 69 and 67, Matthews entered this weekend tied for 25th at 7-under, 136 in the BMW Charity Pro-Am. He started his back nine Friday with four birdies in seven holes at the Thornblade Club in Greer, S.C.
