Four straight summers have resulted in four straight U.S. Open qualifications for former Ohio State golfer Maxwell Moldovan.
Moldovan shot a two-round score of 135 (-5) at the 2025 U.S. Open Final Qualifying in Springfield, Ohio, tying for second in the 83-man field to take one of four qualifying spots on Monday.
"U.S. Open, the last three years, has been my favorite experience as a young golfer," Moldovan told NBC after securing a spot. "It'll be my second as a pro, and I just can't wait to get there. And it's close to home, about two hours from northeast Ohio, so I'll have a lot of friends and family following."
The King of Springfield?
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 3, 2025
Maxwell Moldovan is now 4-for-4 in qualifying for the U.S. Open at Springfield Country Club. pic.twitter.com/ZRmljmOWgz
Moldovan has a special relationship with Springfield Country Club, the site of all four of his U.S. Open qualifying performances. He's played numerous major tournaments at Springfield dating back to 2017.
"I just feel at peace here," Moldovan said. "I came here, first U.S. Open sectional when I was 15, got in as an alternate and played here. Obviously didn't play good, but came back at 17 years old. I've played the Ohio Amateur here. I just love this place."
That course knowledge likely aided in Moldovan's performance, though his first round saw ups and downs with six birdies overruling five bogeys for a one-under-par performance. Aware of his five-under-par target to avoid a playoff, he reached the number exactly with a sizzling 66 to secure his U.S. Open berth with a four-under-par final round.
"My caddy and I, we have so much fun here," Moldovan said. "The greens, they're so crazy, and you have to hit putts sideways and let the gravity take the ball into the hole. It happened a lot for me today, and it was so cool."
Moldovan shot a seven-over-par 147 in his 2024 U.S. Open appearance, missing the cut for days three and four by two strokes. He also missed the cut in his previous two U.S. Open entries. He was a two-time All-American at Ohio State.
A pro for two years, Moldovan played his first tournament on the Korn Ferry Tour, the PGA Tour's primary developmental tour for golfers, at the LECOM Suncoast Classic on April 16 through 19. He shot six under par to finish tied for 54th for the weekend, a solid result, though it paled in comparison to former Buckeye teammate Neal Shipley, who won the entire tournament at 18 under par.
The 2025 U.S. Open begins on June 12 at Oakmont Country Club in Plum, Pennsylvania.
