Alex Smalley Tied for Second at the PGA Championship and Still Hasn't Made the U.S. Open Cut!

Alright Emerald City, buckle up, because the U.S. Open is kicking off, and we've got two former Duke Blue Devils stepping onto the green, looking to make some serious noise. Max Greyserman and Alex Smalley are ready to tee off starting Thursday, and man, are the stakes different for these two. One's trying to get back on track after a rough patch, and the other? He's got a shocking stat that’ll make you do a double-take.

Smalley's Shocking U.S. Open Hurdle

Let's talk about Alex Smalley first, because this guy is fascinating. He's only 29 years old, and get this: he just tied for *second* at the PGA Championship! Yeah, the PGA Championship! He followed that up by snagging a T3 finish at the Charles Schwab Challenge too. This isn't just some flash in the pan either. Back in his senior year at Duke, 2018-19, he had a 70.35 stroke average. The dude even defeated future world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in a qualifying match during the 2018 NCAA Division I men's golf championship when Duke went against Texas. That's serious talent, right? So, here’s the kicker: with all that on his resume, Smalley is still trying to make the *second-half cut* of the U.S. Open for the very first time in his career. How wild is that? He's paired up with Joaquin Niemann and Shane Lowry, ready to start Thursday at 1:47 p.m. and Friday at 7:52 a.m. But man, he missed the cut at The Memorial Tourname

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nt presented by Workday in his most recent outing. Can he finally break that U.S. Open barrier?

Greyserman's Quest to Get Back On Track

Then we've got Max Greyserman, who's definitely looking to shake things up. He's trying to top his career-best U.S. Open finish, which was T21. His highest world ranking hit No. 30 back in October, so we know he's got that top-tier game in him. He played four seasons at Duke, finishing his senior year in 2016-17 with a 72.07 stroke average. The guy even had two top-5 finishes and made the All-ACC Academic Team in 2015-16. He tied for 14th at the PGA Championship and even had a top-10 finish at THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson! That's solid, right? But he’s stumbled a bit lately, missing the cut in his last two appearances at the Charles Schwab Challenge and the RBC Canadian Open. This U.S. Open is his chance to get back on track and show everyone what he’s truly capable of. Greyserman is teeing off with Brian Harman and Jacob Bridgeman, starting Thursday at 8:14 a.m. and his second round Friday at 2:09 p.m. So, there you have it, Seattle. Two guys, two different journeys, both aiming for glory at the U.S. Open. Smalley is chasing that elusive first second-half cut, and Greyserman is on a mission to ignite his hot streak again. We'll be watching closely as they hit the course this Thursday and Friday. Can Smalley conquer his U.S. Open hurdle? Can Greyserman reclaim his form? This is going to be wild, and you know we'll be here with the breakdown!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.