By RICK PETERSON
TopSports.news
Former Washburn Rural state golf champ and Washburn University Division II player of the year Andrew Beckler earned a berth in the United States Open in Monday qualifying.
Former Washburn Rural and Washburn University star golfer Andrew Beckler has earned a berth in the 2022 U.S. Open, which will be played June 16-19 in Brookline, Mass. [Twitter]
Beckler, who finished his Washburn career in 2021 and turned pro last summer, tied for third with a 3-under-par 36-hole total of 141 in qualifying at Woodmont Country Club in Rockville, Md. to earn one of four qualifying berths out of 72 players for the 2022 Open, which will be contested June 16-19 at The Country Club in Brookline, Mass.
Beckler shot a first-round 69 before finishing with a 72.
Beckler was named the Division II Jack Nicklaus National Player of the Year in 2021 in his final season for Washburn.
Prior to Beckler, Washburn had never had a finalist for the Nicklaus Award, nor had there ever been a golfer from the MIAA or NCAA Division II Central Region to win it.
Beckler was the 2021 MIAA Player of the Year, claiming five individual titles in 10 competitions and placed in the top-three at the other five events. He lost to just seven total golfers the entire season.
At the NCAA Golf National Championships, he recorded the highest individual finish in program history as he tied for second place out of 84 total golfers.
Beckler, a former Class 6A individual and team champion for Washburn Rural, finished his career with Washburn's best scoring average with a 72.00 in 67 rounds played and he holds the best season scoring average (70.4).
Beckler joined the team in 2018 after beginning his college career at Kansas State and was named to the all-MIAA team twice and received the conference Men's Golf Athlete of the Week award three times this season.
