Matt Vogt Once Chose Dentistry Over Golf. At the U.S. Open, He's Realized He Didn't Have To

PITTSBURGH — For Matt Vogt, showing up at the U.S. Open this week wasn't just a dream—it was a meticulously planned pilgrimage. Joined by his wife Hilary, their young daughter Charlotte, and an entourage of dogs, the drive from Indianapolis to his mother’s house in Cranberry was supposed to be just another family getaway, about six hours away from the towering greens of Oakmont.

Vogt, a 34-year-old dentist, caddy turned competitor, and dreamer with a pragmatic side, had long aspired to return to the course where he once made divots on post-sunset fairways. Now, against all odds, he's back under the mid-June sun, not as a spectator or a caddy, but as a competitor in the storied halls of Oakmont, ready to compete in the 125th U.S. Open.

His steady form over three qualifying rounds shifted plans that once seemed concrete back in dental practice he started in 2018. And while his return to dentistry is still on the cards, everything else about this trip has changed.

It's a striking setting for this homecoming, mere months after his father and greatest supporter, Jim Vogt, passed away from colon cancer. On emotional home turf, Vogt carries his father's memories and aspirations with him.

“This is pretty wild,” Vogt acknowledged, entering a press conference spotlight he’d never anticipated as an amateur with a stellar, if understated, record.

The pragmatic dreamer, standing at an imposing 6-foot-6, never intended to forge a career in the sport he loved. Growing up north of Pittsburgh and dabbling in collegiate golf at Butler University, he realized early on that golf's demands might be more than he was prepared to meet. He walked away, opting for dental school instead.

Yet, almost serendipitously, in the same year his business shouted its first nervous notes, Vogt rekindled his love for golf. Flickers of intensity grew on Indiana’s amateur circuit, making a show at the 2021 U.S. Amateur, albeit with less-than-ideal results. Still, golf gave just as much as it took away. A newfound perspective, nurtured by balancing family, faith, and profession, began to emerge.

“I'd promised myself I'd never be the guy regretting lost chances,” Vogt reflected.

He honed his skills and pace, constructing a resurgence that saw him hit a 466-yard missile on a long-drive competition. This slice of bravado was a far step from his everyday role of advising younger dental surgeons or adapting his game at Wine Valley in Washington, where he earned his entry to this major.

Now, the echoes of his father's supportive voice accompany him. With his late father's memory pinned close to his heart, alongside recognition for colon cancer awareness, Vogt strides through Oakmont's storied paths, envisioning a weekend imbued with gratitude and, hopefully, a touch of stellar golf.

“I think this weekend is going to be full of gratitude,” he shared. “And hopefully some good golf, too.”