DALLAS, Texas – University of Tennessee golfer Lance Simpson proved the third time was really the charm, overcoming two past failed U.S. Open final qualifying attempts to make it to Oakmont Country Club for the 2025 Open with an 8-under-par 134 total Monday in Final Stage Qualifying at Bent Tree Country Club.

“I know I’ve come close before, maybe a couple of shots last year, but this makes up for it,” said the amateur senior-to-be at Tennessee.

He was one of two amateurs to make it to Oakmont for golf’s national championship in June, the other was Ole Miss golfer Cameron Tankersley, who also shot 8-under 134, made it on his first try. A third, Dallas’ Preston Stout, was eliminated in a 7-for-1 playoff when he hit his tee shot out of bounds.

PGA Tour players Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, James Hahn and Adam Schenk took the top three spots of the only seven available. Among the 24 amateurs missing the cut to make it to Oakmont was 14-year-old Raymond Rebell.

Two amateurs are headed to Oakmont. 🏌️‍♂️
Lance Simpson (Tennessee) fired a closing 65.
Cameron Tankersley (Ole Miss) drained a clutch 15-footer on 18.
Preston Stout (OK State) fell in a brutal 7-for-1 playoff.
🎥 Hear their stories from Final Qualifying at Bent Tree. #USOpen… pic.twitter.com/r6l3vzcrAh

— AmateurGolf.com (@amateurgolfcom) May 20, 2025

After his two past misses, Simpson came to Bent Tree, a course he had never seen, with a new game plan. Keep making birdies and don’t stop until the 36-hole event was over.

“I told myself, don’t play scared,” said Simpson. “Just keep making birdies and keep firing.”

He took his own advice to heart on a windy, cloudy Monday with birdies on five of his first seven holes in the morning round to jump to an early lead. He cooled off after that, but was still among the leaders finishing the first 18 holes after shooting 69.

He came out firing in the afternoon round with 9 birdies, a total of 14 for the day, and shot a closing 65 to finally lock up his spot in the U.S. Open.

“In the afternoon, I felt like I had pretty good control of my ball and was fortunate to make some putts.”

In the afternoon Simpson made birdies on holes 1-3-6, 10, 12, 13, 14, 16 and 18, capped by a 20-foot birdie putt to finish his incredible round.

“Just keep firing and make as many birdies as possible,” he said of his winning plan.

Simpson said he didn’t dwell on his past U.S. Open qualifying failures, but used them for fuel to boost his Monday surge, to another place he has never played, Oakmont next month.

“You just keep putting up numbers and at the end of the day see how it all adds up,” he said.

Tankersley said he felt he had a solid game plan in the gusty conditions, but it came down to the ability to execute it.

“I felt like I played good and smart with the wind. You can’t get too aggressive in these conditions, you just have to take your time.”

After a poor approach shot on 18 he felt he needed a birdie on the closing hole in the afternoon to secure his spot and avoid a playoff.

Tankersley was facing a 15-foot right to left breaking putt for a final birdie which he calmly rolled in. Finishing with a 66 after a 68 in the morning.

“I felt like I had it with my first read and I just trusted my putt and was glad to make it. This is my first time to try for the U.S. Open, so to make it is really exciting. I’m looking forward to the challenge.”

Stout, a Dallas native who plays at nearby Canyon Creek Country Club, will be a junior this fall at Oklahoma State. He lamented his missed chances to avoid the playoff and ultimately fall short of advancement.

“I hit it really well off the tee, but I hit a lot of poor wedge shots and missed some easy putts.” His only birdie on the back nine came on the par 5 16th hole in the afternoon where he two-putted for birdie.

“I had some good chances, but it came back to bite me.”

Former Masters champion Sergio Garcia three-putted his final hole on Monday to miss the playoff by a shot and end his streak of 25-straight U.S. Open appearances.

It’s a new streak of one that Simpson and Tankersley are happy to start at Oakmont next month as they continue their stellar amateur career at one of golf’s biggest stages.