Golf news as U.S. Open hopeful disqualified and Jack Nicklaus sends Charlie Woods message

Qualifying for the U.S. Open is now wrapped up, though one competitor’s dream was shattered early, while Tiger Woods’ son Charlie has been handed some advice by one of golf’s greatest

A UPS driver suffered from a devastating mistake during U.S. Open Final Qualifying this week(Image: Nick Barrett/The Baltimore Sun)

The field for the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club is all but set, and some big names failed to make the cut.

Both Rickie Fowler and Max Homa will notably be absent in Pennsylvania later this month after falling victim to ‘Golf’s longest day.’ However, one UPS driver missed out on the chance to complete the 36-hole Final Qualifying altogether for a bizarre reason.

Elsewhere, Tiger Woods’ son Charlie has been making waves after his debut American Junior Golf Association event win in Florida. Having started his first AJGA Invitational ranked outside the circuit’s top 600, he is now their No. 14 and has been handed a piece of valuable advice by the legendary Jack Nicklaus.

Jason Day also experienced a strange accident this month, while Ian Poulter was another affected by U.S. Open qualifying misery, as we bring you up to date on the world of golf.

UPS driver’s U.S. Open dreams dashed

A 31-year-old UPS driver from Maryland landed himself a spot in the final 36-hole qualifier at Woodmont Country Club on Monday, with hopes of making it to Oakmont. However, a heartbreaking blunder ended this ambition early. Nick Barrett shot an opening 73 during ‘Golf’s longest day,’ having qualified for the event last month after carding a 68 in local stages. Yet, as playing partners Cole Miller and Jason Li headed to the scorer’s tent to sign their cards, Barrett was absent.

“I stood up after I had a hot dog or something at lunch, and I felt my back pocket, and I felt the scorecard in there, and as soon as I did that, my heart went straight to the bottom of my stomach,” Barrett told The Baltimore Sun.

Barrett was disqualified on Monday(Image: X/Nick Barrett)

The delivery driver had forgotten to sign and turn his scorecard in, and as roughly 20 minutes had passed since play concluded, he was disqualified, and any dream of making the U.S. Open was cruelly ended.

“It’s kind of hard to express, but just disappointment in myself because at the end of the day, it is my responsibility as a player,” he added. “I can’t blame anybody but me. It’s just a total gut punch.”

Jason Day’s ‘freak’ injury

Former USPGA winner Day is expected to spearhead a six-strong Australian assault on the U.S. Open this month, though he has been ravaged by injuries of late.

The 37-year-old missed the cut at the PGA Championship thanks to a herniated disc affecting his preparation. He also withdrew from the Memorial Tournament with a wrist issue, which he suffered thanks to a ‘freak’ accident.

Day has opened up about his wrist injury(Image: Carmen Mandato/TGL/TGL via Getty Images)

“Long story short, I was moving a bike and something popped in my (left) wrist,” Day told The Loop podcast. “I couldn’t move it for at least a week, week and a half. It’s a two-to-four week wrist injury. It’s not going to be, like you’re going to have it and overnight it’s going to get better.

“It’s getting better now. The way that I moved it, it was just like one of those freak accidents. It felt like I had tendonitis in there for like two or three weeks. So when that happened, I was just like, it was bound to happen at some point.”

Jack Nicklaus warns Charlie Woods

On the back of Charlie Woods, the son of 15-time major champion Tiger, claiming his first AJGA title and establishing himself as a rising star, many have chimed in on whether the youngster can survive in his father’s towering shadow.

Nicklaus, an 18-time major winner himself, has now had his say. He likened the situation to when his son, Gary, started his career as a pro and found the limelight and expectation at such a young age overwhelming.

Woods won his first AJGA tournament last week(Image: Getty Images)

“It ran him out of golf,” Nicklaus began, touching on his son’s experiences to AP. “Gary would get off the 18th and run to the car so he didn’t have to talk to the press for about two years. I think it’s tough on kids. It’s difficult for them. It’s even tougher today. Charlie is a nice little player. He’s got a beautiful little golf swing. Does he want to follow his father? Does he realize what’s going on?

“My kids played because they wanted to play, not because I wanted them to play,” Nicklaus said, before speaking about the lesson he taught his children. “That was sort of my rule of the house. Don’t play golf because of me, play golf because that’s what you want to do.”

Ian Poulter’s U.S. Open agony

Plenty of disappointment arose when the U.S. Open’s Final Qualifying concluded, and one star, Ian Poulter, who wasn’t even playing on the day, was no exception.

The British Ryder Cup and LIV Golf player’s son, 20-year-old Luke, was in action on Tuesday and looked well within contention to seal his spot at Oakmont when he met Austen Truslow in a playoff at Emerald Dunes Golf Club.

However, the University of Florida star was beaten after his opponent sank a birdie at the second extra hole, denying him a place at the major in agonising fashion.

Poulter was full of pride in his son’s performance(Image: Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)

Luke’s father was proud of him regardless, and speaking after the playoff, Poulter posted to social media, writing: “Luke lost on the second extra playoff hole to a birdie.

“I can’t believe how impressive today’s 65 was to get him in that position. We keep using this incredible experience, and we keep getting better.”