Carter Graf from Alberta aims to qualify for the US Open

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Pinehurst isn't that far away. From Carter Graf's home in Raleigh, where he recently graduated from North Carolina State University, it's only an hour's drive – “or maybe a little longer” – to the famous No. 2 golf course.

After the Alberta-raised birdie hunter made it to the final round of US Open qualifying, a trip to Pinehurst doesn't seem so far-fetched anymore.

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Graf will compete in a 36-hole entrance exam on Monday, hoping for a chance to compete in the next major on the schedule alongside Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and the other superstar buddies.

“After I made it through local qualifiers, I knew that if I made it through sectionals, I would have a chance to play in the U.S. Open, and that's where I can just let my mind wander,” Graf said. “And I think it's OK to let your mind wander there, thinking that that could happen.”

“But during the tournament you try to block out those things as much as possible. You try to take it one shot at a time and treat it like any other tournament or any other round of golf, even though it's obviously not quite the same.

“The goal is to get myself in a position where I can qualify with nine holes to go and then just see how it goes. But really I just want to enjoy the opportunity and try to see what I can do in that moment of pressure.”

US Open qualifying can produce incredible stories when it allows a relative unknown to book a tee time at one of the biggest events of the season. More than 10,000 dreamy players have signed up this year to get their chance.

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Graf began that endeavor with a smooth 68 at Duke University Golf Club in Durham, North Carolina. By a stroke of luck, his sectional qualifier will be held at the same course, but this time the 23-year-old from Sylvan Lake will face a field headlined by former U.S. Open champion Webb Simpson and some of the rising stars of the Korn Ferry Tour.

“I've heard it before and it's true – 'pressure is a privilege,'” said Graf, a member of the Red Deer Golf & Country Club. “You try to put yourself in those pressure situations. That's what you train for and that's where you really see where you need to get better and improve. I love those situations when you have nine holes to go and you have a chance to win a golf tournament or qualify. Those are the moments when you really see what you're made of.

“I think that's the way to look at it. You have to see it as an opportunity to do something good, not as an opportunity to fail.”

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Graf just graduated with a major in finance and a minor in psychology, but the former Alberta Junior Championship winner is already preparing for his dream job: a career in the birdie business.

If he does not receive an invitation to the 2024 U.S. Open, which runs June 13-16, he will instead travel to PGA Tour Americas Q-School on Vancouver Island this week. In the fall, he will participate in Korn Ferry Tour Q-School.

“I feel good. I've been doing a lot of good work,” said Graf, who earned two top-three finishes with the NC State Wolfpack in his final collegiate season and recently co-wrote the Alberta Best Ball Championship with his brother Logan. “I think I'm learning more about my game every day and learning how to practice more efficiently and really do things the right way. You know, you can practice for hours, but if you don't do it right, you're not really going to get anywhere. I think that's the big part and it's slowly starting to show in my game. I'm just trying to get better every day, but it's definitely on the upside.

“I’m excited to live out my dream of getting into professional golf and getting on the PGA Tour.”

For Graf and many others, Monday holds the potential to make a dream come true.

“I love Pinehurst,” he said. “Especially since I went to school here, we went there a lot. I've actually played three or four tournaments on No. 2, so I know the layout of the golf course. Of course, I don't know what it's like under U.S. Open conditions, but Pinehurst is a place I love going to and it would be incredible to have the opportunity to play the U.S. Open there.”

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