Former Cal Golfer Sampson Zheng Qualifies for The Open

The 23-year-old earns a spot at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland with a clutch performance at a qualifying event at Liverpool

Sampson Zheng | Photo by Dennis Poroy, KLC Fotos

Former Cal golfers Collin Morikawa and Byeong Hun An will have some Golden Bears company at The 153rd Open at Royal Portrush Golf Club in Northern Ireland later this month.

Sampson Zheng, an All-American at Cal in 2023 and ’24, qualified for the venerable British major after a runner-up finish at the final qualifying event on Tuesday.

Zheng posted rounds of 68 and 69 on the par-72 course at West Lancashire in Liverpool, England to secure one of five qualifying spots at one of four qualifying events for The Open.

“I had a good day yesterday. I don’t think it’s going to sink in until I get there,”  Zheng said in an Instagram post. “After I found out the results, a lot of emotions going through my mind. I called my mom, first thing.”

The Open will be held July 17-20 and Zheng is now part of the field that also includes Morikawa, who won the tournament in 2021, and An. Morikawa is ranked No. 5 in the world, An checks in at No. 47.

Two other Cal golfers failed to gain spots in the field because their world rankings are not high enough — Michael Kim at No. 55 and Max Homa at No. 99.

A 23-year-old native of Tianjin, China, Zheng is ranked just 648th in the world. But he landed an invitation to his first major by virtue of playing 7-under par over 72 holes at Lancashire.

Zheng led Cal to the 2024 NCAA Championship tournament, the Bears’ first  trip to the event since 2019. He had 12 top-10 finishes in 20 tournaments over his final two collegiate seasons and averaged 71.33 strokes in 112 career events with Cal.

Zheng grew up n Japan and attended high school in Florida before coming to Cal. He turned pro last year and has enjoyed some early success on the Asian tour, finishing in a tie for fourth at the International Series England and tied for second in the Mandiri Indonesia Open.

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