By Stephen Hanjack
shanjack@massgolf.org
PITTSFIELD, Massachusetts (May 12, 2026) – Advancing through U.S. Open Local Qualifying in Massachusetts almost always calls for battle with both the course and frigid spring conditions. With temperatures hardly reaching 40° at the start of play, it was fitting that an Icelandic professional and two Vermonters were among the four to advance at Berkshire Hills Country Club on Tuesday.
Jared Nelson (Rutland, VT) finished as medalist with a score of 69 (-3). Defending Icelandic Open Champion Dagbjartur Sigurbrandsson (Iceland) moved one step closer to claiming a second National Championship with a round of 70 (-2). Amateurs Austin Giroux (Newport, VT) and Mike Calef (West Bridgewater, MA) matched Sigurbrandsson’s 70, claiming the remaining spots in Final Qualifying
For Calef, a former Massachusetts Amateur Champion (2012, 2013), and defending Rhode Island Amateur Champion, this marks the first time in his accomplished career that he has advanced through Local Qualifying.
Not having participated in online scoring, Jared Nelson‘s name was never seen at the top of the leaderboard during Tuesday’s qualifier. But it was hardly a shock to see it shoot straight to the top once he exited the scoring area following his round. After all, Berkshire Hills has long been a course that fits Nelson’s eye. In 2019, Nelson advanced through U.S. Open Local Qualifying at Berkshire Hills, and in 2023 nearly qualified for the U.S. Amateur, falling in a playoff for the final spot. After a successful amateur and college career (UConn), Nelson is looking for his breakthrough moment as a professional. Perhaps it will come at Golf’s Longest Day.
Make no mistake about it, Mike Calef has looked forward to this moment forever. An Amateur Champion in both Massachusetts and Rhode Island, it was a bit surprising that Calef had not yet found success at U.S. Open Locals. Thanks to a roller coaster round that included two eagles and four bogeys, that all changed.
“The U.S. Open is the biggest tournament in the world,” said Calef. “I sign up every year to play, but you sign up knowing that it’s one in 10,000 that you’re going to get through. And I got kind of hot there, and probably changed my odds to one in 1,000.”
While his eagle on the par-5 15th (467 yards) was of the conventional type, Calef’s deuce on the par-4 12th (378 yards) was the real highlight of the round. “I had about 80 yards, and I had 80 yards on the hole before that, and hit a pretty good one and missed the putt,” recounted Calef. “So I said, just give the same swing. It came off like I wanted to took one hop, and then all sudden, he (playing partner) went nuts, and he was like, it’s in, it’s in.”
Dagbjartur Sigurbrandsson described Tuesday’s weather as a “nice summer day in Iceland.” Sigurbrandsson currently plays on the Nordic Professional Tour, a pathway for professional golfers on their way to the Challenge Tour and the DP World Tour. Back home, he is a star, having won the 2025 Icelandic Open (The Icelandic Stroke Play Championship), a nationally televised event. But like Nelson, Sigurbrandsson is searching for that breakthrough moment. Last year, he also advanced to Final Qualifying where he was paired with Alex Noren and Padraig Harrington.
Thanks to a clutch eagle on 2 (only player to eagle made on that hole), Sigurbrandsson was able to fend off a couple of late bogeys on Tuesday. And when he needed it most, he finished in style with a classy pitch from beyond the 9th green, setting up a tap-in par save. While it took a while to sort out, the closing par was enough to send him back to Final Qualifying.
Rounding out the group of those to advance is Austin Giroux, an amateur who recently finished his college career at Siena. As one player in the field put it “he’s from wayyyy up there in Vermont,” so you have to imagine he also saw the day as a comfortable summer-like round. Similar to Nelson, Giroux’s round was a bit uneventful, as he simply took care of the par 5s. Giroux birdied 4 of the 5 to offset a pair of bogeys and in doing so has advanced to Final Qualifying for the first time.
Notable:
From Other U.S. Open Local Qualifying Sites:
UConn standout Matthew Costello (Taunton, MA) delivered the closing kick of the day at Kirkbrae Country Club in Rhode Island. He drove the green and made eagle on the par-4 16th, then hit a brilliant sidehill approach on No. 18 to set up a tap-in birdie, earning medalist honors at 4-under 68 and leading five qualifiers.
“Definitely a little fireworks at the end,” described Costello, who will make his first appearance in U.S. Open Final Qualifying. “Coming right out of college season, playing well here means a lot, and I’m excited for the next stage.”
Ricky Stimets (Osterville, MA), the 2023 Mass Golf Player of the Year, also advanced in regulation, knocking down four birdies with a bogey-free stretch on the front nine to finish 3-under 69, matching Joey Iaciofano (Jupiter, FL).
Five players who finished at 2-under 70 returned to the par-4 18th hole for a playoff to decide the final two spots. Playing 451 yards directly into the wind, former PGA Tour pro Jim Renner (Wrentham, MA) and Georgetown University’s Carson Erick (Hingham, MA) each made par to advance. Renner was in the fairway bunker but landed his second shot onto the upper shelf inside 15 feet. Meanwhile, Erick safely negotiated a two-putt from the lower tier to secure the remaining spot. Aidan Emmerich (Swampscott, MA) and Jay Sherwood (Plymouth, Massachusetts) took first alternate and second alternate, respectively.
On Monday, 2023 Massachusetts Open champ David Pastore (Stamford, CT) was co-medalist in the Fairview Country Club qualifier.
Next Up: The four qualifiers from Tuesday will now compete in 36-hole U.S. Open Final Qualifying on either May 19 or June 2.
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COMPLETE LIST OF QUALIFIERS AND ALTERNATES FROM BERKSHIRE HILLS CC
QUALIFIER (Name, City, Score)
Jared Nelson, Rutland, VT; (-3) 69
Austin Giroux (a), Newport, VT; (-2) 70
Dagbjartur Sigurbrandsson, Iceland; (-2) 70
Mike Calef (a), West Bridgewater, MA; (-2) 70
ALTERNATES (In Order)
Garren Poirier (a), Killington, VT; (-1) 71*
Alan Rose III (a), Weston, MA; (-1) 71
(a) Denotes amateur
*Won First Alternate position on first playoff hole
Berkshire Hills has served as a qualifying site for multiple USGA championships, including the U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, U.S. Mid-Amateur and U.S. Amateur Four-Ball. The most recent qualifier was for the 2023 U.S. Amateur, where Herbie Aikens shot 10-under-par over 36 holes to claim medalist honors.
Also located in Pittsfield, General Electric played an integral role in the creation of BHCC. During the Roaring 20s, company leaders and community members invested in bringing Tillinghast to Western Massachusetts. Tillinghast, responsible for golden age classics such as Winged Foot, Bethpage Black, and Baltusrol, also was the mastermind behind Berkshire Hills’ spectacular layout with breathtaking mountain views unlike many in the state.
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