Mid-flight medical emergency ends six golfers’ US Open hopes – no reschedules and the opportunity comes only once a year
Unexpected flight diversion: A medical emergency forced a Mexico City–Miami flight carrying seven golfers to divert to Veracruz, delaying their arrival until after most tee times.
Only one made it: Chris Nido was the sole player to reach BallenIsles in time, playing with borrowed clubs, while six others saw their qualifying hopes vanish.
Rare but costly setback: Such mid-travel incidents are uncommon in pro golf, but can have severe consequences for players chasing limited major championship spots.
Why this disruption matters in professional golf
Final Qualifying, known as ‘Golf’s Longest Day,’ compresses 36 holes into one high-pressure day with only a handful of spots at each site. Missing a tee time here is especially devastating because there are no reschedules and the opportunity comes only once a year. For players not already exempt, such as those on the PGA Tour Americas, these qualifiers represent a rare pathway to a career-defining major appearance.