2025 U.S. Open Local Qualifying: Jericho National

Four share medalist honors at Jericho National

NEW HOPE, Pa. — Four individuals finished at 5-under-par 67 to share medalist honors in U.S. Open Local Qualifying administered by GAP at Jericho National Golf Club (par 72, 7,010 yards) Thursday.

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Amateurs Stephen Cerbara of Huntingdon Valley Country Club and Hunter Stetson of Aronimink Golf Club, as well as professionals JD Dornes and Patrick Sheehan, advanced to U.S. Open Final Qualifying. Professional Cole Miller finished a shot back at 4-under-par 68. Eric Beringer, a professional out of Narberth, Pa.,defeated home-club hopeful Calen Sandersonin a sudden-death playoff for the final qualifying position.

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

Golf wears a unique hat for the medalist quartet. Sheehan, the 2024 William Hyndman, III Player of the Year, is just starting his professional journey. He relocated to Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. last fall and Monday qualified into the Cognizant Classic.

Stetson is just beginning his college golf journey. The NC State University freshman will head to NCAA Regionals May 12-14 at Atkins Golf Club at the University of Illinois.

Cerbara and Dornes feel more at peace with golf. Cerbara, who tried the minitour circuit for three years, regained his amateur status in March. Dornes remains a professional, but his days of Korn Ferry Tour events and Monday qualifiers are gone. The U.S. Open and Pennsylvania Open satisfy his competitive golf craving.

“I loved being a pro. I loved the journey. But it just didn’t make sense for me to keep going,” Cerbara, 26, of Philadelphia, Pa., said. “I really just wanted to be back up here with my family. It’s good to be back.”

“[Being a touring professional] costs a lot of money. I had some good sponsors behind me for a couple of years, but it just got to the point where it wears on you,” Dornes, 31, of Arlington, Va., said. “I’ve always enjoyed playing golf. The last thing I wanted was to play too long and start to resent the game. It’s been fun to still get a couple of competitive events in every year.”

Dornes, a Penn State University alum, turned professional in 2016. He held status on PGA TOUR Americas in 2017. Dornes competed on the Korn Ferry Tour in 2018 and 2019. He stopped playing full time after failing to keep his card.

Dornes, who works in sales, is the medalist anomaly in terms of scoring. He birdied Nos. 17 (par 5, 548 yards) and 18 (par 4, 427 yards) to finish at 5 under. His 5-iron from 200 yards found the front fringe on No. 17. A two-putt birdie followed. Dornes knocked a gap wedge 115 yards to 12 feet for birdie on No. 18.

Cerbara, Sheehan and Stetson all started on Jericho National’s back nine. The trio used conversions on the front to match Dornes at 5 under.

Cerbara, who works in sales for a custom packaging company, converted five birdies, including a 12-footer on No. 2 (par 3, 202 yards) following a 7-iron and a five-footer on No. 6 (par 4, 388 yards) following a 90-yard wedge. Stetson, a finance major at NC State University, eagled No. 7 (par 5, 528 yards). He hit a 9-iron 168 yards to three feet.

“It was one of the most mentally stable rounds I’ve played. I stayed within myself. I tried to keep a score out of my mind,” Stetson, 19, of Newtown Square, Pa., said. “It was the first time I haven’t shot in the 80s in U.S. Open Qualifying. I struck it really well. I picked simple targets. I didn’t try to overpower the course.”

Power is the hallmark of Sheehan’s game. The reigning William Hyndman, III Player of the Year used it to his advantage Thursday. He birdied the par 5s at Jericho National. None more pertinent to the medalist platform than No. 7.

“It took me about two minutes to get my footing and figure it out. Then I almost made [my second shot] from the fescue,” Sheehan, 24, of Doylestown, Pa., said. “It rolled over the back of the green. My chip then lipped out. I don’t know how it didn’t go in. It was a roller coaster of a hole. It was nice to make 4 there.”

Sheehan will head to U.S. Open Final Qualifying at Duke University Golf Club in Durham, N.C. on June 2. It is his first time advancing to that stage. Same case for Stetson, who will head to Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md.

Cerbara will make his fourth appearance in U.S. Open Final Qualifying (2018, 2022, 2024). Dornes heads to Woodmont for his third try at the Championship proper.

Miller, 29, of New Tripoli, Pa., turned professional in 2018. His first event? The U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Beringer, 40, of Narberth, Pa., is a golf professional who plays and practices and Sunnybrook Golf Club.

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.