On the 15th hole, the golf ball appeared to hang on the edge of the cup before refusing to drop for a bogey, a moment that felt particularly cruel. It was as if Oakmont Country Club was revealing its most challenging side to George Duangmanee on a day when his game was notably absent.
Competing in his first U.S. Open, Duangmanee registered his fourth double bogey of the round on the lengthy par-4. Earlier, on the fourth green, he had struggled significantly, leading to a triple bogey and contributing to a surprising score of 47 on the front nine.
At this elite level, a nine-hole score close to 40 is always conspicuous, but one nearing 50 is exceptionally rare, almost unheard of. However, this is precisely the nature of Oakmont. Players arriving with high hopes of showcasing their skills often face humbling defeats against a course explicitly designed to test and frustrate. Notably, three of the four highest single-round scores recorded in the U.S. Open over the past two decades have occurred here.
Yet, the essence of the U.S. Open, as frequently highlighted by USGA CEO Mike Whan, lies in its openness. Anyone can attempt to qualify and compete alongside the world`s best golfers – be it a 17-year-old amateur, a practicing dentist, or a 23-year-old from Fairfax, Virginia, striving to make his mark in professional golf.
Duangmanee turned professional in 2024 following his graduation from UVA. He made his PGA Tour debut in May 2025 at the Myrtle Beach Classic in South Carolina, where he successfully made the cut by carding two rounds under par, ultimately finishing the tournament at 5 over.
For a player with only conditional status on PGA Tour Americas, earned through qualifying school, this performance served as further confirmation of his potential. The U.S. Open, however, represented a different magnitude of challenge and stage.
“I feel like this was the biggest stage of golf I`ve ever played in,” Duangmanee stated.
To even earn the opportunity to walk the fairways of Oakmont, Duangmanee delivered arguably the best two rounds of his career. At the Springfield Country Club in Ohio on June 2, during a qualifier where many seasoned pros failed, Duangmanee shot 68-67, securing his spot.
This contrast perfectly encapsulates the sport: achieving a stellar 5-under par performance to qualify for the U.S. Open, only to potentially face scores like 86 the first day and flirt with 90 the next.
“I knew it was going to be a hard test coming in,” Duangmanee remarked. “I didn`t think it was going to be that hard.”
An exhausted Duangmanee seemed surprised when a USGA official informed him that reporters wished to speak with him. He had just endured a taxing five-hour battle with the golf course, a battle he clearly lost decisively. Yet, his perspective spoke of something more profound than the score.
“I`m really positive about just being here and excited for the confidence I can get from it,” Duangmanee shared. “It`s a little bit intimidating being around people you watch on TV every week, but I`m trying to learn as much as how they practice now, how they warm up and everything. So I`ve been keeping an eye on how the best in the world do it, so I`m going to use that going forward.”
Between holes on the back nine, Duangmanee allowed himself brief moments of respite. He exchanged casual conversation with one of his playing partners, Austen Truslow, drank water, and ate a grape jelly Uncrustable. While his game was struggling, his attitude remained remarkably resilient.
“Going into today, I just wanted to have fun out there,” Duangmanee said. “I knew I was kind of out of it after my first round, so I just tried to enjoy the experience as much as possible, try to keep my head up, and I didn`t really get down on myself. I just kept going, and I was just happy to be here.”
Frustration was undeniably present. When he failed to get the ball from the thick fescue onto the green on the 17th, he dropped his head in disappointment. His subsequent shot from the rough wasn`t ideal either, but Duangmanee simply persevered. Each shot was approached with focus and routine. On a day when Oakmont dismissed players left and right, including some top professionals, Duangmanee chose to grind it out.
His tee shot on the 18th – a wayward drive finding a fairway bunker, a consequence of a driver that had troubled him all day – set the stage for determining his final score. Duangmanee successfully pitched out of the bunker, leaving himself a challenging wedge shot that landed past the hole. The downhill par putt missed its mark, rolling well past.
The allure of the U.S. Open had brought not only Duangmanee but also his family to Pittsburgh. His parents, his brother (a junior on the UVA golf team), his grandfather, his girlfriend, and other relatives had traveled to watch him compete. Whatever score he posted was secondary to their presence.
“It does mean a lot to have people who want to be out here and watching me play golf and supporting me,” Duangmanee reflected.
On a warm, humid Pittsburgh afternoon, with the stands surrounding the 18th green still mostly empty, Duangmanee lined up his bogey putt, a distance of 6 feet, 7 inches.
He studied the putt with the same care and concentration one might use to make a cut, and then calmly sank it.
As Duangmanee walked towards his caddie, a smile finally broke through. His round of 89 was tied for the second-highest single-round score recorded at a U.S. Open in the last 20 years.
“Just making it here was a big accomplishment for me,” Duangmanee affirmed. “It proves that what I`m doing, the hard work I`m putting in practice, is paying off. Being able to compete against the best guys in the world. It`s really where I want to be.”
Oakmont may be sending Duangmanee home with a combined score of plus-35, but he isn`t leaving immediately. He dedicated significant effort to reach this point and isn`t ready to simply move on.
“I`m definitely going to take at least three or four days off and just enjoy it with the family,” he said. “I think I will stay around. We`re already here, and it`s the U.S. Open.”
