Tired Jhonattan Vegas qualifies for U.S. Open
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BETHPAGE, NEW YORK - MAY 14: Jhonattan Vegas of Venezuela plays a tee shot during a practice round prior to the 2019 PGA Championship at the Bethpage Black course on May 14, 2019 in Bethpage, New York. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
COLUMBUS, Ohio – When the final field list came out for the RBC Canadian Open this week, one name was strangely missing.
Two-time champion Jhonattan Vegas was not heading north of the border this season.
The reason? Exhaustion.
And so it was a strangely conflicted Vegas who came off Scioto Country Club as one of 14 qualifiers for the upcoming U.S. Open at Pebble Beach on Monday.
Trudging off after the 36-hole sectional qualifying test, the 2016 and 2017 champion in Canada looked spent. You would have sworn he was one of the many who attempted to forge a way to Pebble Beach but failed.
But his 8-under total was easily enough to get him into his third U.S. Open next week.
“I’m just exhausted. That’s why I’m not in Canada this week. I love playing in Canada. I have been getting a lot of calls from friends up there asking what am I doing and why aren’t I up there,” Vegas said.
“But I just have played so much this year that I need a break. I have been making way too many mistakes in my rounds and it is because of fatigue. At Muirfield I made six birdies one day, but also six bogeys and a double.”
The Memorial Tournament presented by Nationwide was the three-time TOUR winner’s 18th event this season. But he also played the ISPS Handa Melbourne World Cup of Golf amongst it all. With three top-10s, including a T3 at THE PLAYERS, Vegas sits decently poised at 62nd in the FedExCup.
When he failed to be automatically exempt for the U.S. Open and missed the cut at the Memorial, he thought about just heading home. But he decided to stay for the qualifier.
“I thought this would be my break part of the year, but unfortunately and fortunately, now I will be at the U.S. Open,” he laughed.
“The key now is I need to find a way to recharge my batteries, because that will be a tough test. The good thing is I’m playing well. I just need to get some rest. Need to get my body and mind ready. That will be my focus this week.”
Vegas is also chasing a return the International Presidents Cup team he was part of in 2017. He is currently at 21st in the standings.
