Pay to Play
First-time U.S. Open qualifier reveals how much he made (and how much he paid) to compete at Oakmont
Despite what you might think, qualifying for the U.S. Open isn’t a free ride. There’s qualifying fees, travel expenses, lodging and, of course, food to pay for. Oh, and you can’t forget about the merch tent either. If you’re a lined-pockets LIV pro, this isn’t much of an issue, but for the amateurs and lower-level pros that qualify, the costs of Golf’s Greatest Test can really add up. How much are we talking? Well, let’s ask a guy who knows a heck of a lot better than us.
Enter James Nicholas. The 28-year-old Korn Ferry Tour pro qualified for his first U.S. Open earlier this month, earning medalist honors at Canoe Brook Country Club in Summit, N.J. Nicholas got off to an excellent start at Oakmont, firing a one-under 69 on Thursday. That helped him survive a second-round 78 to make the cut and guarantee himself a profitable week. Nicholas went on to finish T-61, and took to TikTok on Monday to breakdown the numbers behind the biggest week of his career. Check it out.
All in all, not a bad weekend for the 28-year-old Yale golf alum. Nicholas' biggest expenses were his qualifying fees and his caddie’s salary/bonus at Oakmont. In the end, Nicholas spent about $7,220 to compete at the U.S. Open, but he had a lot of help from his sponsors, who provided items like a rangefinder, balls and new shoes. At the end of the week, one his sponsors even gifted Nicholas a free flight back to New York aboard a private jet. Not bad!
Because Nicholas made the cut and finished T-61, he earned $43,544, taking home $34,894. That’s a tidy profit, and miles better than some of the financial horror stories you hear from mini-tours and the fringes of the KFT. Nicholas’ expenses, however, showed just how slim the margins can be. Players who missed the cut at U.S. Open received a payout of $10,000, but imagine if Nicholas hadn't made the weekend and didn't get a free flight home. The countless weeks of preparation, travel and competition would have essentially amounted to a break-even.
To be clear, Nicholas isn’t complaining, and we can’t imagine too many qualifiers would. For most, the U.S. Open is a dream they would happily lose to money to achieve. But if Nicholas’ video taught us anything, it's that the life of a qualifier isn’t always as glamorous as it looks on TV.
