Logan McAllister has made his U.S. Open debut, two years after turning pro. The 24-year-old played the final qualifying at the Dallas Athletic Club and, after scoring 3 under 139 in the two rounds, qualified for the 124th U.S. Open. McAllister is one of the few debutants at Pinehurst No. 2, eyeing the opportunity to leave a mark.
But when did McAllister’s journey start? Coming from the state of Oklahoma, McAllister always wanted to be a golfer. When most of his peers were indulging in basketball, the 24-year-old would play golf and watch the veterans to learn better. His parents, Darrell and Lisa McAllister, and siblings Kyle, Austin, and Elyse have always been supportive of his passion for golf.
The Oklahoma native started his golf journey and education at the Christian Heritage Academy in Del City. McAllister was always a bright golfer, and in high school, he was named the USA Today All-American and Rolex Second Team All-American in 2018. After a successful amateur career, McAllister gave his name to the University of Oklahoma for a far better collegiate career.
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There, the 24-year-old majored in finance and graduated in 2022. In these four years, McAllister tasted success, but things did not come easily as he struggled to play for the Sooner and make a name for himself initially.
Logan McAllister’s struggles at the Sooners in freshman year
In his first year at the University of Oklahoma, Logan McAllister played only three events for his team. The youngster was struggling with his swing and confidence and thus was dropped from the team lineup for the OU in 2018 after tied for a 33rd finish at the fall finale of the Sooners. However, McAllister did not lose hope.
In approximately a year, the 24-year-old started working with Ryan Rody, an instructor from Southern Hills. With Rody’s help, McAllister perfected his new swing and was always practicing in college and back at home. Sooner than later, coach Hybl noticed the change in McAllister, and in September 2019, he was back on the roster.
This return proved to be fruitful for the OU golf team and McAllister’s college career. The then-19-year-old helped the Sooners win the Nike Golf Collegiate Invitational and also won his first individual title after shooting 65-67-70 to be 11 under. From then on, McAllister’s career was blistering at OU. He won three more times before graduating in 2022 at the 2020 Puerto Rico Individual Classic, Colonial Invitational, and 2021 Carmel Cup.
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It was the second-most wins in the history of the program at OU, and then McAllister was third on the 2022 PGA Tour University rankings. Being in the top five secured McAllister his Korn Ferry Tour card to be a professional golfer right after his graduation. The 24-year-old recounted the four years of college as the best time of his life and the most he improved in golf. Coming to KFT, has McAllister won any titles in the last two years?
Logan McAllister’s career on the Korn Ferry Tour
Since joining the Korn Ferry Tour in 2022, Logan McAllister has played 46 events in the developmental league. In the past two years, the Oklahoma native has had only five top 10s with two top five’s. In these many events, McAllister came close to lifting the first silverware of his professional career in 2023.
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After carding as many as 25 birdies and only four bogeys at the LECOM Suncoast Classic, McAllister entered the playoffs against Scott Gutschewski. The OU alum drained a par putt on the first playoff hole at the Lakewood National Club, but Gutschewski drained a birdie to win the LECOM Suncoast Classic. To date, that was the lone runner-up finish for McAllister, as he struggled to find his form back.
Currently, at the U.S. Open, McAllister is accompanied by his girlfriend, Addi Wagner, to become the star he always wanted to be. Will Logan McAllister defeat the veteran pros and come out on top after the week concludes? It remains to be seen.