Eight-hole playoff finalizes Monday qualifiers for Rocket Mortgage
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At one of the more dramatic Monday qualifiers in recent memory, it took eight playoff holes to determine the final two of four available spots in this week's Rocket Mortgage Classic. The reward is well worth it: a PGA TOUR tee time.
Brandon Berry, Angelo Giantsopoulos, Danny Guise and Nick Bienz advanced from a 5-for-4 playoff, with the latter two earning spots on the eighth extra hole at The Orchards Golf Club in Washington, Michigan. They'll advance to compete at this week's Rocket Mortgage Classic; Beau Breault was the odd man out after all five players carded 7-under 65 in Monday's qualifier.
Berry and Guise have shown a propensity for success at Monday qualifiers in recent times; this marks Berry's third successful Monday qualifier on TOUR this season, while Guise Monday qualified into four TOUR events a year ago. Giantsopoulos and Bienz will each make their PGA TOUR debut in "Motown."
Five years ago, Doc Redman finished runner-up at the Rocket Mortgage Classic as a Monday qualifier, earning Special Temporary Membership on the PGA TOUR. The Clemson alum was competing on PGA TOUR Canada at the time, and he parlayed a qualifying 62 at The Orchards into a four-year stint as a TOUR member. This week's qualifiers will aim to follow a similar path; Redman showed them it's possible, after all.
In all, 59 players competed for four spots in this week's field. Read below for more information on the four Rocket Mortgage Classic qualifiers.
Brandon Berry (7-under 65, advanced via playoff)
Age: 25
Hometown: Great Falls, Virginia
Alma mater: Loyola University Maryland
PGA TOUR starts: 2
Cuts made: 1
Best PGA TOUR finish: 65th, 2024 Corales Puntacana Championship
Notes: Made seven birdies and an eagle, against two bogeys, in his qualifying round, then survived a 5-for-4 playoff ... This marks his third successful Monday qualifier of 2024 on the PGA TOUR. He also made his TOUR-sanctioned debut at the Korn Ferry Tour's Astara Golf Championship presented by Mastercard in February, into which he also Monday qualified ... Holds a bachelor's degree in finance and an MBA from Loyola University Maryland ... Was named to the PING All-Northeast Region Team as a college junior in 2019-20.
Angelo Giantsopoulos (7-under 65, advanced via playoff)
Age: 24
Hometown: Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater: Drexel University
PGA TOUR starts: 0
Notes: Made eight birdies against one bogey in his qualifying round, then earned his first career TOUR start via a 5-for-4 playoff ... Only prior TOUR-sanctioned start came at PGA TOUR Canada's 2022 GolfBC Championship, where he missed the cut ... Competed five years at Drexel, finishing as a fifth-year senior in 2021-22, where he was a Second Team All-CAA selection ... In addition to golf, played baseball and hockey as a high schooler.
Danny Guise (7-under 65, advanced via playoff)
Age: 29
Hometown: Greenwich, Connecticut
Alma mater: Wake Forest University
PGA TOUR starts: 4
Cuts made: 0
Notes: Made seven birdies in a bogey-free qualifying round, then earned spot in a 5-for-4 playoff ... Successfully Monday qualified for four PGA TOUR events in 2023, and he's at it again ... Massive Bruce Springsteen fan; has attended 19 shows dating back to Madison Square Garden in 1999, when he was 4 years old … Grew up playing drums in a band which mostly covered rock hits … Played four years of varsity basketball at Greenwich (Conn.) High School … Was a teammate of Will Zalatoris while at Wake Forest.
Nick Bienz (7-under 65, advanced via playoff)
Age: 27
Hometown: Hoagland, Indiana
Alma mater: IUPUI (Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis)
PGA TOUR starts: 0
Notes: Made five birdies and an eagle in a bogey-free qualifying round, then earned spot in a 5-for-4 playoff ... Had never competed in a PGA TOUR-sanctioned event; that will change this week ... Per Ryan French of Monday Q Info, enjoyed three beers after his round while waiting for a potential playoff. Then he earned his spot on the eighth playoff hole ... As a college senior in 2018-19, he recorded the second-lowest single-season scoring average in IUPUI history (72.5) ... Earlier this month, won the Northern Open in Schererville, Indiana.