The day started early for former Iowa Hawkeyes golfer Alex Schaake and, at points, it didn’t seem as though it was ever going to end. On what is known as “golf’s longest day,” he was slated to play 36 holes of golf at Springfield Country Club in Springfield, Ohio, in an effort to qualify for the U.S. Open.
His 36 holes quickly turned into 44 as he had to outlast others in an 8-hole playoff. He joins his brother, Carson, in family bragging rights, as Carson qualified for the 2021 U.S. Open.
There were 75 golfers teeing it up with just five qualifying spots up for grabs. Schaake’s final score of 7-under was good enough for him to secure a spot in the U.S. Open, which takes place June 15-18 at the Los Angeles Country Club.
While at Iowa, Schaake was a two-time Big Ten Player of the Year, four-time Big Ten Golfer of the Week, and the only Hawkeye golfer to ever be a postseason all-conference player four times.
Once the final putt fell, Twitter took to it to celebrate Schaake qualifying for the U.S. Open and representing the Iowa Hawkeyes.
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