TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — Former Alabama men’s golfers Bud Cauley, Dru Love, Trey Mullinax, and Justin Thomas will compete at the U.S. Open, which begins this morning at the Erin Hills course in Erin, Wisconsin.
Alabama is one of four schools (Oklahoma State, Arizona State, and Georgia) with four or more alumni in the event.
Thomas, the Alabama golfer with the most U.S. Open experience, is making his third start at the event. A member of the 2013 National Championship team, he won the Fred Haskins Award, which is given to the nation’s top collegiate golfer, in 2012 and was a semifinalist for the Ben Hogan award twice in his career. Thomas has claimed three PGA Tour wins this season, including consecutive victories to open 2017. He has played for the winning 2013 USA Walker Cup Team and the winning 2012 World Amateur Team. His best finish at the U.S. Open came last year when he tied for 32nd.
The newest member of the group, Love, graduated following the conclusion of the 2016-17 season after being sidelined most of the year with an injury. Love qualified at the Ball Ground, Georgia, sectional for his first U.S. Open appearance. His father, Davis Love III, who played in the event 23 times, finishing as high as a tie for second in 1996, will caddy for him at the tournament. His grandfather, Davis Love Jr. qualified for seven U.S. Opens making the Love family one of just three three-generation families at the U.S. Open joining the Alexander (Tyson, Buddy and Skip) and Herron (Tim, Carson and Carson) families.
Cauley, a six-year PGA Tour veteran, will play in his second career U.S. Open after making his professional debut at the event in 2011 and finishing tied for 63rd. Cauley has 12 top-10 finishes in his career and was a member of the winning 2009 USA Walker Cup team. At Alabama, he was named a semifinalist for the Ben Hogan award three times including as a finalist in 2010 and was a three-time All-American (2009-11).
Mullinax, a member of the 2013 and 2014 National Championship teams at Alabama, will make his first appearance at the U.S. Open. Mullinax earned his PGA Tour card in 2016, and will play in his 23rd career event on the Tour. While at Alabama, he was a member of the 2014 U.S. Palmer Cup Team and was named to the Ben Hogan Award watch list the same year.
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