The never-give-up story of the dentist who played his way into this week’s US Open

By Patrick Snell, CNN

(CNN) — For a self-confessed “math and science geek” who once quit his college golf team, Matt Vogt certainly found the perfect formula when it came to qualifying for this year’s US Open.

Each year “golf’s longest day” brings with it a multitude of inspiring and heartwarming stories. There are thousands of players up and down the country who battle soaring temperatures at the start of the American summer with the goal of completing a 36-hole qualifying marathon and are left hoping they’ve done enough to make it through to the sport’s second oldest Major.

This year some big names fell short, including 2014 runner-up Rickie Fowler and six-time PGA Tour winner Max Homa. But in 2025, it’s a player who’s currently 2,078th in the World Amateur Rankings who’s been making all the headlines.

Vogt is truly living the dream. He’s a full-time dentist who owns his own practice in Indiana, but his heart will always belong to Pennsylvania. He was born in the Pittsburgh area and as a youngster, he caddied for six years at the famed Oakmont Country Club that this year is hosting its 10th US Open. It’s a course where he grew to love the game.

“It would be an incredible accomplishment or an incredible thing to be doing if it were anywhere in the country. But for it to be back here at Oakmont, just a place that means so much to me – really the city of Pittsburgh means so much to me,” Vogt told CNN Sports.

“I’m incredibly grateful, honestly. I’m just trying to soak it all in, especially today with all the people out here. It’s been incredible so far. I try to find words in all these conversations, but it’s been tough to find words, honestly,” he added.

The 34-year-old – who won this year’s Indianapolis Open – led the way in final qualifying in Washington recently after shooting consecutive rounds of 68 to nail down one of only two spots available for this year’s US Open and earn himself a place in the 156-strong field. It’s a remarkable achievement for someone who readily admits he never had any serious aspirations to play professional golf. He was briefly on the Butler University team before deciding to focus on school.

“I’ve always been a math and science geek. So even in high school I said, let’s just go major in biology and let’s try to be a dentist. Seemed like a great way to work with people, and have daily interactions with people and make it make a difference in people’s lives,” he said.

“So, I started my own practice in 2018 and that was a ton of work. But kind of around that time I started to try to just get back into golf a little bit. And been very fortunate as … our practice has grown. I’ve had a little more time to do things like this and try to pursue, maybe, my regrets of not giving golf a full try in the past. I’ll obviously still be an amateur. And still be seeing patients the week after the Open, no matter what happens.”

Despite the euphoria of qualifying for this week’s US Open, Vogt arrives at Oakmont with a very heavy heart following the passing of his much beloved father, Jim, just a couple of months ago.

“I feel like I’ve gone from, in a way, from a boy to a man and matured as a person and as a dad. Anyone who’s lost a parent, you feel these brief spurts of emotion. He had colon cancer. I wear the blue ribbon for that. Gosh, I say a prayer every night for people who have been affected by cancer. It’s a horrible, horrible thing,” Vogt told reporters.

Jim Vogt was not just his son’s mentor but also his biggest fan, a huge source of inspiration and love both on and off the course. The emotions will be thick for Matt Vogt, especially so given that this Sunday is Father’s Day in the United States.

“I’m sure this weekend will be emotional. There’s a sense of peace among our family, and I hope he’s at peace as well, because it was hard. It’s a unique time in my life where my father passed – and I miss him dearly – but I have this beautiful 15-month-old daughter and a wife who supports me in pursuing this and doing these kinds of things. I thank God every day for them. I really do. I thank God for everything in my life. I think this weekend is going to be full of gratitude and hopefully some good golf too.”

Vogt – who says he’d be “nothing” without his Christian faith – is a true Cinderella story. And whatever the outcome this week in his home state, the story of the dentist-turned-US Open qualifier is guaranteed to inspire.

“It’s never too late or there’s no reason you can’t pursue your dreams at any point in your life or try to do something outside of your career, maybe outside of your family commitments that other people might think is foolish or a waste of your time,” he said. “If you want to do something and it’s important to you, you can do it, you honestly can.”

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2025 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved.