Local amateur golfer, Luke Ringkamp, set to compete in final qualifier for U.S. Open
PALM DESERT, Calif. (KESQ) – Luke Ringkamp is looking to hear his spot in the U.S. Open. The Palm Desert native, and high school senior has made it through the local qualifying round for the major tournament. Now he looks ahead to the final qualifier in just over two weeks.
Ringkamp lives and plays daily at Ironwood Country Club. So when the local U.S. Open qualifier tournament was set at Ironwood, it felt like a relaxing day. Competing on a course he knows like the back of his hand.
“It's like, you know, you brushing your teeth. It's just so instinctive," Ringkamp said. "I've grown up here, so I had a bunch of support from all the members who have watched me play and seen me grow up here.”
Ringkamp's knowledge showed on the course with a chip in for an eagle on the first hole. His play continued to excel from there, finishing with a 5-under 67. He earned first place, with the Top 5 moving on to the final qualifier in Sacramento at the Del Paso Country Club.
“At the end of the day, I try to not be as satisfied as it sounds, because I know that there's still a lot more work to be done,” Ringkamp said. “It's going to be pretty intense.”
He'll compete against other top golfers during Golf’s Longest Day with 36 holes of play, but Ringkamp said his preparations remain the same for any tournament.
“I'm not doing anything different. I've been reading all these different books and, and just sticking to my own mentality and just putting the work in every day,” He said.
He spends at least four to six hours a day on his training. After formerly playing on the Palm Desert High School boy’s golf team, Ringkamp decided to take his senior year off to focus on his amateur career.
“It's elevated my game to a new level, elevated my conviction and confidence to another level as well,” He said. “And just and just knowing that I have what it takes.”
The U.S. Open final qualifying is not the only thing Ringkamp has been training for. He has a summer filled with tournaments before he joins the men’s golf team at Pepperdine in the fall. Each one a challenge he’s taking on with excitement and high hopes of elevating his game.
“I'm just looking forward to pounding the stone every day, and trying to get that much better and, just see where my game ends up at the end of this summer,” Ringkamp said.
Stay with News Channel 3 for updates on Ringkamp’s journey to the U.S. Open.
