Professional golfer from Tampa makes Major debut at US Open

TAMPA, Fla. - As a professional golfer on the Korn Ferry Tour, the tour just one step below the PGA Tour, Jackson Suber knew his chances of qualifying for his first ever Major tournament this summer were slim.

Suber's best chance would be to qualify for a spot in the US Open through a regional qualifier.

"I really wanted to play in that tournament," Suber said. "It's the biggest tournament out there between that and the Masters. I really wanted to play it."

The Plant High School alum and former Ole Miss golfer ended up missing out on a spot in the field at the 124th US Open at Pinehurst, but he did golf well enough at his qualifier to be named as the first alternate for the tournament.

In fact, the Sunday before the US Open teed off, Suber was at Pinehurst preparing like he was going to golf in his first Major, until it was clear he wasn't.

"That Tuesday, I was actually about to leave to go to Wichita for the Korn Ferry Tour event the next morning," Suber remembered. "I had a flight and was pretty sure that is what I was going to end up doing."

Later that day, however, Suber got a call that would change his weekend plans.

It turned out that former US Open champion Jon Rahm needed to withdraw from the field due to medical reasons, which meant the first alternate was about to golf in his first Major tournament.

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"I had been preparing the whole week since Sunday like I was playing in the event," Suber said. "I had done my normal preparation just like I would for any other tournament."

Only this wasn't just any other tournament and after getting the news, Suber's first call was home to his mom and dad back in Tampa.

"We were excited from the start," said his mom, Elayne Suber. "Just because after being there for a few days, being the first alternate, he told us 'Even if I don't get in, this has been amazing.'"

His dad, Jack, meanwhile, got the news in a more memorable way.

"I was on a plane back from New York and was directly over Pinehurst when I got the news. So that was a fun flight back," he said.

Both of Suber's parents immediately made the trip to Pinehurst to watch as their son teed off in a feature group with Major champions Jordan Spieth and Hideki Matsuyama.

But even with familiar faces in the stands, Suber couldn't help but feel butterflies.

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"The first couple of holes your hands are shaking a little bit," Suber said. "It's definitely uncomfortable, but then you ease into it after a few holes."

Regardless of his nerves, Suber found himself inside the top-10 on the leaderboard after the first round and would go on to make the cut in his first US Open.

"To get a taste of that is awesome," said Suber. "That is where I want to play golf, on the PGA Tour and in the Majors."

Using his success at Pinehurst, Suber would go on to finish runner-up a week after the US Open back on the Korn Ferry Tour.

"To say you learned so much, it sounds cliche, but it definitely showed last week," Suber said.

The goals for Suber, meanwhile, haven't changed even after his US Open debut.

The 24-year-old from Tampa is still chasing his PGA Tour card and keeping his dreams of playing in more Major tournaments alive. 

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