RI's Brett Quigley makes the cut for the 2024 Senior Open in Newport
At least one Rhode Island native will be included in next year’s U.S. Senior Open field.
Brett Quigley earned his place at Newport Country Club with a sizzling weekend finish at the 2023 version of the event. Quigley closed in a tie for fourth place at 2-under, even with Rob Labritz and five shots behind eventual winner Bernhard Langer.
Top-15 finishers and ties are granted exemptions through qualifying into the following year’s field. Quigley surged over the last two days at SentryWorld in Wisconsin, carding a 2-under 69 and a 5-under 66. He collected five birdies through his first six holes Sunday and played even-par golf the rest of the way.
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“I got off to the dream start being 5-under after 6 and just couldn't get any more,” Quigley said. “Certainly pleased. Like I said, the weekend was a good weekend.”
Quigley suffered through nine bogeys and a double bogey over his first 36 holes before flipping the switch. He totaled four birdies in his first 10 holes Saturday before finishing with eight consecutive pars. Quigley extended that good form into Sunday, notching birdies at all but the par-3 third hole to highlight the beginning of his round.
“Being home at Newport, that's special,” Quigley said. “Rhode Island is really special — loves golf. Newport Country Club, first [U.S.] Open, first [U.S.] Amateur there — really cool stuff.
“I know they're excited for that championship, and certainly I am, too.”
Quigley played his junior golf out of Rhode Island Country Club and was the Interscholastic League champion with Barrington in 1986. He went on to the college ranks at South Carolina and added the Rhode Island Amateur Championship in 1990. Quigley cruised past Newport member Charlie Hayes, 10 and 9, in the title match at Warwick Country Club.
“I get goosebumps just thinking about it,” Quigley said. “The clubhouse, the property — I know a lot of the history behind it. The golf course is a beautiful walk and it's a fun place.”
Quigley is a four-time professional winner but had missed the cut in his two previous appearances at the Senior Open. This represents his best finish at a PGA Tour Champions major and his first top-10. He took home the Morocco Champions title in February 2020.
Quigley’s lone senior victory occurred a few months before the scheduled playing of the Senior Open at Newport. COVID-19's onset forced a cancellation, and the United States Golf Association announced new dates next summer from June 27-30. It will be the fifth USGA championship event at the historic A.W. Tillinghast redesign and the first since the U.S. Women’s Open in 2006.
Quigley represents a branch of a prominent golf family tree in the state. His uncle, Dana, is an 11-time winner on the PGA Tour Champions and topped the money list in 2005. His father, Paul, is a three-time state Amateur champion in 1986, 1987 and 1991.
Quigley was one of just 10 players in this year’s field to close at par or better. Langer finished at 7-under to clip a pair of in-state natives, beating Steve Stricker by two shots and Jerry Kelly by three. Langer and Kelly were the only two players this week to play four rounds at even-par 71 or less.
Billy Andrade closed in a five-way tie for 27th place at 8-over. Sunday marked a third straight 1-over 72 for the Bristol native, who will turn 60 in January. There are multiple pathways remaining for him to reach the 156-man field in 2024, the last of which would be through the local qualifying process.
“The golf course is phenomenal,” Andrade said. “The players are going to absolutely fall in love with it.”
On Twitter: @BillKoch25
This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: RI's Brett Quigley makes the cut for next year's Senior Open in Newport
