Latest news with #SenecaValleyHighSchool
New York Post
5 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Post
Dentist Matt Vogt living out impossible US Open dream at hometown Oakmont
OAKMONT, Pa. — If you happen to need some dental work done at The Dentists of Gateway Crossing in McCordsville, Indiana this week and you're told to come back next week, you'll understand why. Your dentist, 34-year-old Matt Vogt, is busy this week living out an improbable dream back where he grew up, in western Pennsylvania. Advertisement Vogt has turned in his white dentist coat for golf clothes this week as he competes in the U.S. Open at Oakmont, where he happened to caddie for five years while growing up in nearby Cranberry, Pa., and attended Seneca Valley High School. Vogt is one of the 156 players, a field that includes world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, recent career Grand Slam winner Rory McIlroy, defending champion Bryson DeChambeau and the rest of the best players in the world, because he survived local and sectional qualifying to get in.
San Francisco Chronicle
9 hours ago
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
Matt Vogt once chose dentistry over golf. Back home at the US Open, he's learned he didn't have to
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Matt Vogt was always going to be at the U.S. Open this week. The man who likes to plan had it all planned out. He and his wife, Hilary, and their 15-month-old daughter, Charlotte, and their dogs would make the nearly six-hour drive from the Indianapolis suburbs and then crash at his mom's house in Cranberry, about 20 minutes from Oakmont. At some point, the 34-year-old knew he'd make it out to the course where he spent five-ish years caddying, a job whose perks included the opportunity to put a tee in the ground on Monday nights, something he admits now he didn't do nearly often enough. And the day after this year's Open ended, Vogt would find himself back in the main office of the dental practice he opened in 2018. That last part is still part of the plan, by the way. It's everything else about this trip that's changed. Three rounds of exquisitely steady golf — the kind Vogt found so elusive as a 'hot-headed' 20-year-old that he left his college team to focus on his other passion instead — will do that. So yes, Vogt will be at Oakmont this week after qualifying for the 125th edition of the national championship. In essentially his hometown, on a course that certainly feels like home on Father's Day weekend, just two months after losing his father and biggest supporter, Jim, to colon cancer. 'This is pretty wild,' Vogt said on Monday while walking in for a news conference that carried on for more than 20 minutes, unheard of at a major tournament for an amateur with a respectable but hardly historic resume. When 'pipe dreams' become reality, it usually is. Trading one passion for another Vogt is a dreamer sure. Just a pragmatic one. Even though he's 6-foot-6. Even though he's always been able to hit the ball a long, long way. Even though he's long felt drawn to a game that requires discipline, focus and a touch of math, he never considered trying to make a living doing it. By the time he graduated from Seneca Valley High School, an hour north of Pittsburgh in 2009, he was pretty sure he didn't have 'it.' A couple of years playing at Butler University reinforced what he held to be true: that he wasn't prepared — physically or mentally — for the toll the game can take if you dedicate your life to chasing it. So he took a break, a long one. He graduated with a degree in biology, then enrolled in dental school at the University of Indiana. There was something about the combination of helping people, problem-solving and running his own business that appealed to him, even if he laughs now about all the things he didn't know when The Dentists at Gateway Crossing opened its doors. Things like the fact that the rent is due even if those doors aren't actually open yet. 'That was a freaky, freaky few months,' he said. He quickly figured things out, and his practice steadily grew. Vogt now has another dentist on staff and has become an advisor to young doctors who want to follow the ambitious path he took. Reorganized priorities Around the same time Vogt's practice opened, he made himself a promise. 'Don't look back and be the guy, 'Well, if I had just done this or that, I maybe could have done great things,'' he said. He's not sure why he started hitting balls with a purpose again in 2018. It just kind of happened. He quickly became a fixture on the Indiana amateur circuit and qualified for the 2021 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont but didn't make it out of stroke play. The first number of his score was an eight, and the second was either one or two, and to be honest, he's fine not being totally sure. The disappointment didn't linger. He shot 67 at the alternate site the next day. Not enough of a rally to become one of the top 64 who advanced to match play, but telling of the ever-increasing maturity of both his game and his approach. Having a job, having a family to support, playing because he wanted to, not because he had to, shifted his perspective. He's no longer a golfer first. At this point in his life, that might not even crack the top five behind Christian, father and husband, among others. 'One of the biggest changes is, I've gotten my priorities right,' he said. Bombs away Some things, however, have not changed. At least on the course. Vogt hits it far. How far? He ran into long drive champion/influencer Kyle Berkshire at a pro-am a few months after the 2021 U.S. Amateur. Berkshire saw enough to invite Vogt out to Nevada to see if he could qualify for a long drive competition. While he didn't quite reach the world championships, he did unleash a 466-yard missile that drifted out of bounds. He had a blast, but also realized he was running the risk of spreading himself too thin. So he took what he learned and incorporated it into his skillset. It's one of the reasons he opted to try to qualify for this year's U.S. Open by picking a route that included a sectional at Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla, Washington. The 'math and science geek' had done his research. He knew Wine Valley was wide enough that he probably wouldn't run into trouble if he started spraying tee shots. He captured medalist honors after back-to-back 4-under 68s. And suddenly, the dentist from Indiana was on The Golf Channel, his emotional post-round video going viral and his phone blowing up to the point that he asked Hillary to help him keep track of it all. Things got so busy last week that when Vogt tried to sneak out to practice, it wasn't until he was nearly at the course that he realized he'd forgotten his shoes. A grateful heart Vogt's soft spikes were back in their usual spot when he stepped off the first tee on a Monday unlike any of the others he'd ever experienced at Oakmont. This time, he wasn't slinging it in the twilight with the other caddies. Instead, he was walking down the fairways with good friend and occasional tournament partner Kevin O'Brien on his bag, saying hello to familiar faces on the other side of the ropes while he signed autographs, his father never far from his mind. Jim Vogt was diagnosed with colon cancer last July. Less than a year later, he's gone. Vogt — who is wearing a blue ribbon on his baseball cap for colon cancer awareness — is still processing it. He is pressing on and trying to lean into the joy along the way. 'I think this weekend is going to be full of gratitude,' he said. 'And hopefully some good golf, too.'
Fox Sports
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Matt Vogt once chose dentistry over golf. Back home at the US Open, he's learned he didn't have to
Associated Press PITTSBURGH (AP) — Matt Vogt was always going to be at the U.S. Open this week. The man who likes to plan had it all planned out. He and his wife, Hilary, and their 15-month-old daughter, Charlotte, and their dogs would make the nearly six-hour drive from the Indianapolis suburbs and then crash at his mom's house in Cranberry, about 20 minutes from Oakmont. At some point, the 34-year-old knew he'd make it out to the course where he spent five-ish years caddying, a job whose perks included the opportunity to put a tee in the ground on Monday nights, something he admits now he didn't do nearly often enough. And the day after this year's Open ended, Vogt would find himself back in the main office of the dental practice he opened in 2018. That last part is still part of the plan, by the way. It's everything else about this trip that's changed. Three rounds of exquisitely steady golf — the kind Vogt found so elusive as a 'hot-headed' 20-year-old that he left his college team to focus on his other passion instead — will do that. So yes, Vogt will be at Oakmont this week after qualifying for the 125th edition of the national championship. In essentially his hometown, on a course that certainly feels like home on Father's Day weekend, just two months after losing his father and biggest supporter, Jim, to colon cancer. 'This is pretty wild,' Vogt said on Monday while walking in for a news conference that carried on for more than 20 minutes, unheard of at a major tournament for an amateur with a respectable but hardly historic resume. When 'pipe dreams' become reality, it usually is. Trading one passion for another Vogt is a dreamer sure. Just a pragmatic one. Even though he's 6-foot-6. Even though he's always been able to hit the ball a long, long way. Even though he's long felt drawn to a game that requires discipline, focus and a touch of math, he never considered trying to make a living doing it. By the time he graduated from Seneca Valley High School, an hour north of Pittsburgh in 2009, he was pretty sure he didn't have 'it.' A couple of years playing at Butler University reinforced what he held to be true: that he wasn't prepared — physically or mentally — for the toll the game can take if you dedicate your life to chasing it. So he took a break, a long one. He graduated with a degree in biology, then enrolled in dental school at the University of Indiana. There was something about the combination of helping people, problem-solving and running his own business that appealed to him, even if he laughs now about all the things he didn't know when The Dentists at Gateway Crossing opened its doors. Things like the fact that the rent is due even if those doors aren't actually open yet. 'That was a freaky, freaky few months,' he said. He quickly figured things out, and his practice steadily grew. Vogt now has another dentist on staff and has become an advisor to young doctors who want to follow the ambitious path he took. Reorganized priorities Around the same time Vogt's practice opened, he made himself a promise. 'Don't look back and be the guy, 'Well, if I had just done this or that, I maybe could have done great things,'' he said. He's not sure why he started hitting balls with a purpose again in 2018. It just kind of happened. He quickly became a fixture on the Indiana amateur circuit and qualified for the 2021 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont but didn't make it out of stroke play. The first number of his score was an eight, and the second was either one or two, and to be honest, he's fine not being totally sure. The disappointment didn't linger. He shot 67 at the alternate site the next day. Not enough of a rally to become one of the top 64 who advanced to match play, but telling of the ever-increasing maturity of both his game and his approach. Having a job, having a family to support, playing because he wanted to, not because he had to, shifted his perspective. He's no longer a golfer first. At this point in his life, that might not even crack the top five behind Christian, father and husband, among others. 'One of the biggest changes is, I've gotten my priorities right,' he said. Bombs away Some things, however, have not changed. At least on the course. Vogt hits it far. How far? He ran into long drive champion/influencer Kyle Berkshire at a pro-am a few months after the 2021 U.S. Amateur. Berkshire saw enough to invite Vogt out to Nevada to see if he could qualify for a long drive competition. While he didn't quite reach the world championships, he did unleash a 466-yard missile that drifted out of bounds. He had a blast, but also realized he was running the risk of spreading himself too thin. So he took what he learned and incorporated it into his skillset. It's one of the reasons he opted to try to qualify for this year's U.S. Open by picking a route that included a sectional at Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla, Washington. The 'math and science geek' had done his research. He knew Wine Valley was wide enough that he probably wouldn't run into trouble if he started spraying tee shots. He captured medalist honors after back-to-back 4-under 68s. And suddenly, the dentist from Indiana was on The Golf Channel, his emotional post-round video going viral and his phone blowing up to the point that he asked Hillary to help him keep track of it all. Things got so busy last week that when Vogt tried to sneak out to practice, it wasn't until he was nearly at the course that he realized he'd forgotten his shoes. A grateful heart Vogt's soft spikes were back in their usual spot when he stepped off the first tee on a Monday unlike any of the others he'd ever experienced at Oakmont. This time, he wasn't slinging it in the twilight with the other caddies. Instead, he was walking down the fairways with good friend and occasional tournament partner Kevin O'Brien on his bag, saying hello to familiar faces on the other side of the ropes while he signed autographs, his father never far from his mind. Jim Vogt was diagnosed with colon cancer last July. Less than a year later, he's gone. Vogt — who is wearing a blue ribbon on his baseball cap for colon cancer awareness — is still processing it. He is pressing on and trying to lean into the joy along the way. 'I think this weekend is going to be full of gratitude,' he said. 'And hopefully some good golf, too.' ___ AP golf: in this topic
Winnipeg Free Press
9 hours ago
- Sport
- Winnipeg Free Press
Matt Vogt once chose dentistry over golf. Back home at the US Open, he's learned he didn't have to
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Matt Vogt was always going to be at the U.S. Open this week. The man who likes to plan had it all planned out. He and his wife, Hilary, and their 15-month-old daughter, Charlotte, and their dogs would make the nearly six-hour drive from the Indianapolis suburbs and then crash at his mom's house in Cranberry, about 20 minutes from Oakmont. At some point, the 34-year-old knew he'd make it out to the course where he spent five-ish years caddying, a job whose perks included the opportunity to put a tee in the ground on Monday nights, something he admits now he didn't do nearly often enough. And the day after this year's Open ended, Vogt would find himself back in the main office of the dental practice he opened in 2018. That last part is still part of the plan, by the way. It's everything else about this trip that's changed. Three rounds of exquisitely steady golf — the kind Vogt found so elusive as a 'hot-headed' 20-year-old that he left his college team to focus on his other passion instead — will do that. So yes, Vogt will be at Oakmont this week after qualifying for the 125th edition of the national championship. In essentially his hometown, on a course that certainly feels like home on Father's Day weekend, just two months after losing his father and biggest supporter, Jim, to colon cancer. 'This is pretty wild,' Vogt said on Monday while walking in for a news conference that carried on for more than 20 minutes, unheard of at a major tournament for an amateur with a respectable but hardly historic resume. When 'pipe dreams' become reality, it usually is. Trading one passion for another Vogt is a dreamer sure. Just a pragmatic one. Even though he's 6-foot-6. Even though he's always been able to hit the ball a long, long way. Even though he's long felt drawn to a game that requires discipline, focus and a touch of math, he never considered trying to make a living doing it. By the time he graduated from Seneca Valley High School, an hour north of Pittsburgh in 2009, he was pretty sure he didn't have 'it.' A couple of years playing at Butler University reinforced what he held to be true: that he wasn't prepared — physically or mentally — for the toll the game can take if you dedicate your life to chasing it. So he took a break, a long one. He graduated with a degree in biology, then enrolled in dental school at the University of Indiana. There was something about the combination of helping people, problem-solving and running his own business that appealed to him, even if he laughs now about all the things he didn't know when The Dentists at Gateway Crossing opened its doors. Things like the fact that the rent is due even if those doors aren't actually open yet. 'That was a freaky, freaky few months,' he said. He quickly figured things out, and his practice steadily grew. Vogt now has another dentist on staff and has become an advisor to young doctors who want to follow the ambitious path he took. Reorganized priorities Around the same time Vogt's practice opened, he made himself a promise. 'Don't look back and be the guy, 'Well, if I had just done this or that, I maybe could have done great things,'' he said. He's not sure why he started hitting balls with a purpose again in 2018. It just kind of happened. He quickly became a fixture on the Indiana amateur circuit and qualified for the 2021 U.S. Amateur at Oakmont but didn't make it out of stroke play. The first number of his score was an eight, and the second was either one or two, and to be honest, he's fine not being totally sure. The disappointment didn't linger. He shot 67 at the alternate site the next day. Not enough of a rally to become one of the top 64 who advanced to match play, but telling of the ever-increasing maturity of both his game and his approach. Having a job, having a family to support, playing because he wanted to, not because he had to, shifted his perspective. He's no longer a golfer first. At this point in his life, that might not even crack the top five behind Christian, father and husband, among others. 'One of the biggest changes is, I've gotten my priorities right,' he said. Bombs away Some things, however, have not changed. At least on the course. Vogt hits it far. How far? He ran into long drive champion/influencer Kyle Berkshire at a pro-am a few months after the 2021 U.S. Amateur. Berkshire saw enough to invite Vogt out to Nevada to see if he could qualify for a long drive competition. While he didn't quite reach the world championships, he did unleash a 466-yard missile that drifted out of bounds. He had a blast, but also realized he was running the risk of spreading himself too thin. So he took what he learned and incorporated it into his skillset. It's one of the reasons he opted to try to qualify for this year's U.S. Open by picking a route that included a sectional at Wine Valley Golf Club in Walla Walla, Washington. The 'math and science geek' had done his research. He knew Wine Valley was wide enough that he probably wouldn't run into trouble if he started spraying tee shots. He captured medalist honors after back-to-back 4-under 68s. And suddenly, the dentist from Indiana was on The Golf Channel, his emotional post-round video going viral and his phone blowing up to the point that he asked Hillary to help him keep track of it all. Things got so busy last week that when Vogt tried to sneak out to practice, it wasn't until he was nearly at the course that he realized he'd forgotten his shoes. A grateful heart Vogt's soft spikes were back in their usual spot when he stepped off the first tee on a Monday unlike any of the others he'd ever experienced at Oakmont. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. This time, he wasn't slinging it in the twilight with the other caddies. Instead, he was walking down the fairways with good friend and occasional tournament partner Kevin O'Brien on his bag, saying hello to familiar faces on the other side of the ropes while he signed autographs, his father never far from his mind. Jim Vogt was diagnosed with colon cancer last July. Less than a year later, he's gone. Vogt — who is wearing a blue ribbon on his baseball cap for colon cancer awareness — is still processing it. He is pressing on and trying to lean into the joy along the way. 'I think this weekend is going to be full of gratitude,' he said. 'And hopefully some good golf, too.' ___ AP golf:
CBS News
9 hours ago
- Sport
- CBS News
Matt Vogt embracing his emotions and chasing his dream of playing in the U.S. Open
Matt Vogt is back in his hometown of Pittsburgh and chasing a dream as he prepares to play in the upcoming U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. Vogt, a dentist by trade, grew up in Cranberry Township, attended Seneca Valley High School, and was a caddy at Oakmont for six years. He now lives in Indianapolis where he is a partner at a dental practice. A long shot to get into the field this week, Vogt currently sits 1,173rd in the World Amateur Golf Rankings and earned his spot in the U.S. Open through final qualifying at Wine Valley Golf Club last week in Walla Walla, Washington. Vogt said it's been a whirlwind week as he went from final qualifying last Monday in Washington back to Indianapolis for several days, getting into Pittsburgh on Saturday. Now that he's back in his hometown and at the club where he was a caddy, he's embracing being an inspiration for others as well as it being an emotional week. Matt Vogt speaks to members of the media following a practice round on June 9th, 2025 ahead of the 125th playing of the U.S. Open Championship at Oakmont Country Club. Mike Darnay / KDKA An emotional Father's Day weekend for Matt Vogt Vogt's father died two months ago and he says the emotion of thinking about his dad will be on his mind this week, especially with Sunday being Father's Day. "Walking up 9 fairway today after signing some autographs for some little kids, I kind of looked up and thought about it," Vogt said. "Anyone who's lost a parent, you feel these brief spurts of emotion, I think, from time to time." While Vogt says this weekend will be an emotional one, there's a sense of calm among his family knowing his father is at peace. "I miss him dearly, but I have this beautiful 15-month-old daughter and a wife who supports me in pursuing this and doing these kinds of things," Vogt said. A first time for everything Never having played in front of more than 100 people, Vogt says he signed his first autograph Monday morning during a practice round. Now with the golf world watching, Vogt says he's leaning into leaving a good memory with the fans who are out watching him play at Oakmont. Matt Vogt greets fans and signs autographs during a practice round on Monday, June 9th ahead of the 125th playing of the U.S. Open Championship at Oakmont Country Club. Mike Darnay / KDKA "It's a true honor to be a part of that, to just see kids like that and, I guess, make a good impression on them here on the golf course," Vogt said. Vogt says one of his goals this week, aside from doing the best he can during the tournament, is to inspire some people and let them know it's never too late to pursue something in your life that you think is really cool. With all the new attention focused his way, Vogt says he's not sure why there's so much interest and isn't entirely sure why it resonates so much with people. "I suppose maybe it's because people are inspired," Vogt said.
