In a grueling 36-hole qualifying day at Hillcrest Country Club in Los Angeles, Brendan Steele posted 33-35-32-34 – 134 to miss by one stroke outright qualifying for the U.S Open, which will be played next week at the Los Angeles Country Club. Instead, he is currently listed as the second alternative player, should two of the players who made the cut at Hillcrest withdraw from playing in the open.

The 40-year-old Idyllwild native notched 10 birdies against only two bogeys to finish eight-under-par in seventh place in the field of 89 golfers, all vying for only five starting spots in one of golf’s four “major” tournaments.

Tuesday morning, Brendan told the Town Crier that he was just then learning about the merger of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf and was not yet sure how that might change his plans.