2025 U.S. Open Local Qualifying: Laurel Creek

Sample blitzes Laurel Creek with bogey-free 63

MOUNT LAUREL TOWNSHIP, N.J. — Luke Sample’s golf journey has been one of notable accomplishments.

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In 2020, he was the first person to win the Metropolitan Golf Association Junior and Open championships in the same year. He is the youngest to ever win the Met Open at 17.

Sample, in his senior season at Duke University, hasn’t been playing to his standards. But Tuesday, in U.S. Open Local Qualifying administered by GAP at Laurel Creek Country Club (par 71, 6,871 yards), Sample found his old self.

He matched the Laurel Creek course record of 63 to earn medalist honors. Laurel Creek’s teaching professional Dave Quinn as well as Jack Tarzy shared the honor before Sample joined them.

Professionals Trevor Bensel (67) of Denver, Pa., Peter Creighton (67) of Buffalo, N.Y., Aman Gupta (68) of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. and Vince Covello (68) of Atlantic Beach, Fla. advanced in regulation.

Professional David Sanders of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. advanced in a 2-for-1 playoff. The cutline stopped at 69.

The 125^th U.S. Open will take place June 12-15 at Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pa.

“I hit the ball pretty solid today but honestly I scrambled nicely,” Sample, 21, of New York, N.Y., said. “I made some nice 8-10 footers on the first 12 holes I played. Then I kicked it into gear by making an eagle. I was pretty confident I would be able to keep it going and have some more looks for birdie.”

Starting on the back nine, Sample went out in 2 under. His front nine produced numerous fireworks. Highlighted by a 50-footer for eagle on No. 5 (par 5, 513 yards), he added four other birdies on his closing nine.

On No. 3 (par 3, 167 yards), he hit a 7-iron to 10 feet. Sample spun a gap wedge from 120 yards to two feet on No. 6 (par 4, 441 yards). He clipped a lob wedge from 106 yards to 15 feet on No. 8 (par 4, 345 yards). He completed the bogey-free scorecard with an easy two-putt birdie on No. 9 (par 5, 556 yards) after a 5-iron from 208 yards finished 30 feet away.

Sample’s visit back to the region is a quick one. He came up Monday for a practice round and will be playing Pine Valley Golf Club for the first time on Wednesday. Not a bad business trip at all.

He will be teeing it up with his fellow Blue Devils in the NCAA Regional May 12 in Reno, Nev. Sample will hope to extend his college career for as long as he can stretch it.

“When you get the opportunity to play high-level Division I golf, you see the best players in the world and get to follow their journey through college and into the professional ranks,” Sample said. “I’ve learned a lot about what it takes to play well and compete at a high-level consistently.”

Sample plans to remain an amateur until the end of summer and turn professional after that.

“My college golf career has been unbelievable,” Sample said. “Duke’s been the most special place I’ve ever been and I am blessed to be a Blue Devil. The people have made it even better. I am sad to be leaving but am excited for my next chapter in golf and in life.”

Including 2025, Sample has made it to Final Qualifying three consecutive years. It will be the fourth one he will compete in. He plans to play Final Qualifying at Canoe Brook Country Club (North & South Courses) in Summit, N.J. on June 2. He will look to qualify for his first U.S. Open.

“Final Qualifying is such a long day of golf and bogey avoidance is such a huge part of making it,” Sample said. “Canoe Brook will give you good looks at birdie. You can’t make a ton of bogeys. I just need to be disciplined and I feel like I have a chance.”

GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The organization’s 345 Member Clubs and 125,000 individual members are spread across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.