Ex-UNLV golfer John Oda returns for U.S. Open qualifying

Former UNLV golfer John Oda didn’t have to bother with the local U.S. Open qualifier last year because he was one of the top 50 amateurs in the world and exempt into sectional qualifying due to that status.

He made the most of it and shot rounds of 64-68—132 to earn medalist honors at Big Canyon Country Club in Newport Beach, California, to advance to his first U.S. Open.

This year, Oda, who missed the Open cut at Erin Hills in Wisconsin in 2017, will have to finish in the top four of the United States Golf Association Local Qualifier Monday at Canyon Gate Country Club to advance to the sectional. He was a senior-to-be at UNLV but turned professional last summer so there is no free pass.

“Local qualifying is probably just as hard as sectional because you have to be in the low four out of about 70 very good players,” Oda said. “Locals are only 18 holes so you have to play smart and get the putter going. This season I have been playing in a bunch of Monday (tour) qualifiers and those are 18 holes as well.

“In these 18-hole shootouts you have to play smart, play aggressive when you have to and it all comes down to making the birdie opportunities.”

The 2018 U.S. Open is June 14-17 at Shinnecock Hills in New York.

Oda was the 2016-17 UNLV male scholar athlete of the year and is the roommate of current Rebels senior Shintaro Ban who is exempt into sectional qualifying later this month because he is the world’s 19 th -ranked amateur.

Monday’s field features current and former UNLV golfers and tour players, PGA of America professionals, high school players, top amateurs and aspiring professionals. Notables include Keith Clearwater, Justin Chong, Wyndham Clark, Kenny Ebalo, Edward Fryatt, Cameron Gambini, Josh Goldstein, Garrick Higgo, Joel Kijowski, Taylor Montgomery, and Van and Zane Thomas.

Oda has played Canyon Gate once and said it will be an interesting test.

“I played a round last Monday and I had heard some good things about it,” Oda said. “It’s somewhat of a shorter course, the greens are tricky and they can tuck flags in some weird spots, but it’s pretty straight forward for the most part. The rough was long, longer than most courses in Vegas.”

Freelance writer Brian Hurlburt is a two-time author who has covered golf in Las Vegas for more than two decades. He can be reached at bhurlburt5@gmail.com or @LVGolfInsider.