VIDEO: U.S. Open Qualifier, and NHL Referee Garrett Rank

ATLANTA, Georgia (June 8, 2018) -- Garrett Rank has a job that keeps him in shape, dodging pucks, and making rulings as an NHL referee. And while hockey insiders (and certainly NHL players) know him, over the past few years Rank has been making a name for himself during the warmer months, as the world's top Mid-Amateur player in the AmateurGolf.com rankings.

The likable 30-year-old has played golf on television, advancing to the semi-finals of the U.S. Amateur Four-Ball with partner Patrick Christovich when that event was televised. He's won the Canadian Mid-Amateur -- with an under-par score that resembled something off the Web.com Tour. Rank also qualified for the 2017 U.S. Amateur last year at Riviera (advancing to match play before bowing out earlier than he would have liked).



But on Monday at Atlanta's Ansley Golf Club, he recorded what puts him on a very short list (assuming someone else has done it) by qualifiying for the U.S. Open. And rather than withdraw from the Dogwood, where tournament director Ed Toledano got him in the field at the last minute, Rank played, and spoke to us about what it feels like to record the biggest achievement of his golf career.

Don't bet against Garrett Rank making a strong showing at Shinnecock, where we can now have a contest for which of the 19 amateurs finishes lowest, and which of the 3 Mid-Ams goes the furthest.