He's a Midwestern dentist -- and he's playing in the U.S. Open
"Good morning, this is the 11:20 tee time,” the starter announced to the small crowd Wednesday morning. “Next up we have Emiliano Grillo, Adam Schenk and … Matt Vogt.”
There was some polite applause and a small wave from the golfer. Nobody around the first tee at Oakmont Country Club seemed to notice the lack of formalities. Because, ahem, it’s actually Dr. Matt Vogt.
Technically, Vogt is off the clock this week, turning in his tray of dental instruments for a bag of Titleist clubs. The 34-year old dentist is among the most unlikely qualifiers at this year’s U.S. Open. His path here reads like a Disney script — a wide-eyed, teenage caddie at Oakmont who returns years later to play in the country’s premier golf tournament — which has made him among the most popular (if least recognizable players) in the field. So forgive him for flashing his toothy smile as he navigates the course he actually grew up on.
There he was Wednesday, at the driving range, side-by-side with Scottie Scheffler, the world’s best player launching bombs next to a man who quit his college golf team, enrolled in dentistry school and settled down outside of Indianapolis, occasionally competing in local amateur tournaments when he wasn’t treating patients.
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