A high school science teacher from Colorado Springs, Colorado, qualified for the highly coveted major golf tournament, the U.S. Open, on June 3, Golf Digest reported Tuesday.
Colin Prater qualified after shooting a 68 and a 73 in two rounds at Pronghorn Resort’s Nicklaus Course in Bend, Oregon, according to Golf Digest.
He became one of just 44 golfers to qualify for the U.S. Open, while other established professionals like Adam Scott and Zach Johnson have not done so.
Prater finished two strokes behind the U.S. Open Final Qualifier winner Joey Vrzich, a PGA professional who also qualified for the major tournament as a result of his performance, according to AmateurGolf.com.
“It’s been a dream of mine since being a kid to play in a major and to fulfill that dream is amazing,” Prater told Golf Digest.
29-year-old science teacher Colin Prater just qualified for the U.S. Open.
There is nothing like US Open Qualifying in sports. A high school teacher is going to play on the biggest stage in golf.
And I love it.— Monday Q Info (@acaseofthegolf1) June 4, 2024
The 29-year-old is a two-time Colorado Golf Association Player of the Year, according to Golf Digest. He played golf at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs and currently coaches the Cheyenne Mountain High School golf team. (RELATED: 15-Year-Old Accomplishes Decades-Old Record, Qualifies For PGA Tour Event)
Five amateurs have won the U.S. Open in the tournament’s history. Francis Ouimet won it in 1913, Jerome D. Travers won in 1915 and Charles Evans Jr. won it the next year in 1916. Bobby Jones won it an impressive four times between 1923 and 1930. No amateur has won the Open since 1933, when Johnny Goodman won it at North Shore in Illinois, according to Golf Digest.
