Wildcats Jack Schoenberger and J.B. Holmes in Field for U.S. Open
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. – A pair of Wildcats will play major championship golf this week as Kentucky men’s golf alumni Jack Schoenberger (’26) and J.B. Holmes (’05) are both in the field for the 126th U.S. Open, to be played at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club this Thursday through Sunday.
Both Schoenberger and Holmes reached the U.S. Open through qualifying. Schoenberger worked his way through both local and final qualifying to earn a bid to his first ever major championship, while Holmes advanced through final qualifying in Westerville, Ohio to secure a spot in his first major since 2019.
Schoenberger, who just recently wrapped up his senior year with the Wildcats, began his road to Shinnecock at the local qualifier at Canongate-on-White Oak in Newnan, Georgia where he tied for medalist honors with a 7-under round of 63. From there, the native of Alpharetta, Georgia moved on to compete at final qualifying at Hawks Ridge Golf Club, putting together rounds of 69 (-3) and 65 (-7) to tie for sixth place at 10-under par total. That score put him in a playoff for a first alternate spot, where Schoenberger beat out Alexander Herrmann of Germany. On Sunday night, Schoenberger got the call that he had been added to the 156-player U.S. Open field, one of five alternates to receive a spot.
Holmes’ path to Shinnecock came through final qualifying at Lakes Golf & Country Club, where the Campbellsville, Kentucky native carded a 9-under par 36-hole total with rounds of 70 (-2) and 65 (-7), finishing tied for second and securing one of four available spots. Holmes, a five-time winner on the PGA Tour, will make his 10th appearance in the U.S. Open and first since 2019. It will also mark Holmes’ 36th career start at a major championship. His best finish at the U.S. Open came in 2017 at Erin Hills when he placed 12th.
In two years with the Wildcats, Schoenberger made 23 starts and posted a 72.17 scoring average across 68 rounds. He had 33 rounds at par-or-better and competed at two NCAA Regional Championships while racking up 10 top 20 finishes and six top 10s. Schoenberger served as the team captain this past season during a year in which the Wildcats won two team events for the first time since 2017-18.
Holmes played at Kentucky from 2001 – 2005. He was a part of the program’s lone Southeastern Conference Championship in 2005, was a three-time All-SEC First Team selection and a three-time All-American. Holmes finished seventh at the NCAA Championship in 2005, the highest ever finish by a Wildcat to this day.
Tee times and groupings for the 2026 U.S. Open will be announced later this week.
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