James Gang Survives Final Qualifier in New Jersey

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Long before a bevy of friends and family arrived at Canoe Brook Country Club to support James Nicholas’ quest for a spot in the 125th U.S. Open, the 28-year-old fledgling professional embraced the morning solitude of what is a grueling day of competitive golf.

With temperatures hovering in the low 50s and only a handful of officials, competitors and caddies scattered over the facility’s North and South Courses, Nicholas went about his routine just like the previous seven times he had reached this pinnacle known as final qualifying.

At 7:50 a.m. local time on the 11th tee of the South Course, just his caddie and fiancé, America Richmond, were part of his gallery. And when a few early tee shots went wayward, Nicholas wondered if final qualifying would deliver disappointment yet again.

But a year spent on the DP World Tour, plus a half season now on the Korn Ferry Tour, has significantly altered Nicholas’ approach to such happenstance. The Scarsdale, N.Y., native and Yale University graduate is far more prepared for the ebbs and flows of a 36-hole day, especially with the added experience of competing last year in the DP World Tour’s final qualifier at Walton Heath outside of London (all of his other attempts were either at Canoe Brook or Century/Old Oaks Country Clubs in the Met area).

Those early jitters quickly passed, and with his support group continuing to grow throughout the round, he posted a 3-under 67. As his gallery swelled following lunch, reaching some 150-plus supporters on the more-challenging North Course (Nicholas has amassed quite the fan group thanks to an active social media profile), Nicholas answered with a 4-under 68 to qualify for his first major championship. Even a three-putt bogey on the par-5 18th couldn’t sour the celebratory high-fives and hugs. Online scoring showed him atop the field.

Nicholas finished as the medalist at 7-under 135, one better than PGA Tour player Chris Gotterup,Korn Ferry Tour player Roberto Diaz of Mexico, and two ahead of world No. 3 amateur Ben James, a three-time University of Virginia first-team All-American who had advanced to the U.S. Open from this site a year ago.

“I’m a lot better than I was when I was here two years ago, and three years ago,” said Nicholas. “I’ve gotten better as a pro every single year. Last year on the DP [World Tour], I learned a ton, especially how to hit it straighter. I drove the ball nicely after my first six holes. It wasn’t looking pretty.

“I didn’t have high hopes. But I missed in the right places. I got up and down when I needed to and kept it going.”

Thirty-six-hole days are never easy. Pros rarely endure them. College players and those who compete in match-play amateur competitions understand the physical and mental nuances of such marathons. As someone with an athletic background, Nicholas prepares himself well for the long haul. In fact, he trains for it with his Florida-based physio Michael Sinks.

Before migrating to full-time golf, Nicholas had his eyes set on playing for the U.S. Olympic ice hockey team. His skills were good enough to play elite junior-level hockey. But he also played football and plenty of golf during the summer months. His dream was to be a two-sport athlete in college like his father, Stephen, who played football and baseball at Harvard before becoming a renown orthopedic surgeon like his father before him, James. Both served as the team physicians for a number of New York-based professional sports teams, including the Jets, and each performed surgeries on Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Namath, among others.

Nicholas, at one time, thought about being a pre-med major at Yale, where he played football for one season.. The hockey stick was retired after high school, although he thought about returning to it if his golf didn’t progress. Eventually he chose Q-School over medical school, and now he tries to dissect golf courses instead of broken bones.

“That one, you have life or death in your hand,” said Nicholas. “And this one is … just a game.”

Given the family dynamic, it’s easy to see why Nicholas remains steadfastly competitive. Sister Erica won six NCAA Division III titles at Middlebury College in Vermont (four in field hockey and two in lacrosse) and another sister, Michaela, was a field hockey star at Franklin & Marshall. Younger brother, Brian, is a rising sophomore at Brown where he’s on the school’s Division I hockey team. And another brother, Stephen, played golf and football at Franklin & Marshall. Even his mom, Eileen, could Hang 10 in the swells off Long Beach Island back in the day.

“I told myself when I get to Yale if I don’t love what I’m doing, I can always get on the hockey team,” said Nicholas, who was good enough on the ice to play at the Division I level. “I was being recruited by the coach. But I would have had to focus only on hockey. No golf. Playing two was always my dream since my dad played two. He played football and baseball at Harvard.”

Golf went from a summer pastime to a full-time activity. Nicholas was named the 2019 Ivy League Player of the Year and since turning professional, he has slowly progressed up the professional tour hierarchy. He posted one top-10 finish in 22 starts overseas – a tie for fifth in the Italian Open – before gaining his Korn Ferry Tour card for the 2025 season. Through 13 events, his best result is a tie for 13th at the Club Car Championship at The Landings.

Nicholas barely had the chance to celebrate his U.S. Open feat before jumping on an 8 a.m. flight Wednesday to Greenville, S.C., for the BMW Pro-Am.

“It doesn’t feel like I am through,” said Nicholas. “I am so kind of in shock [of what I did]. I still have another tournament between now and [the U.S. Open].”

For Benjamin James, 22, of Milford, Conn., the qualifier was the end of a month-long odyssey of high-level competitions. He went from helping Virginia to the Atlantic Coast Conference title to NCAA regionals and then to the national championship in Carlsbad, Calif., where they played seven rounds in six days and reached the championship match against Oklahoma State. James won his final match over OSU All-American Preston Stout, but the Cavaliers came up short of their first NCAA title.

Nine days later, the 2023 USA Walker Cupper was trying to qualify for his second consecutive U.S. Open. That might seem like a Herculean task, even for someone as talented as James. But he’s prepared himself for this moment. Two years ago, James, feeling a little mentally burnt out from the mixture of high-level golf, academics and other life odysseys, went to a family retreat in western North Carolina and recharged. It wasn’t Aaron Rodgers sitting in a dark room – far from it says James – but it offered a comfortable reset. He even played some fun golf.

Ever since, James has been one of the world’s best amateurs. He was a member of a victorious Walker Cup team in 2023 at St Andrews and is the only three-time first-team All-American in Virginia history, which includes PGA Tour player Denny McCarthy and a pair of U.S. Amateur runners-up: James Driscoll and Derek Bard.

“In college I’m lucky that I’ve got such great friends that don’t care about golf,” said James of balancing golf with a healthy social life and stringent academics. “Just being a college kid. And I’ve got to study a little bit.”

That maturity and experience was present at Canoe Brook when James didn’t have his “A” game. He suffered a double bogey on the South Course in Round 1 and didn’t dominate the par 5s. Nevertheless, he fought hard until the end, closing with two birdies over his final three holes on the North Course’s outward nine to sneak in at 5-under 137 and nab the fourth and final qualifying spot.

“It helps and it hurts because you have all this expectation,” said James, who, like Nicholas, had a lot of local support. “I had just been on the road for like 30 straight days with the team. I told myself just go out and see what you have today.

“Luckily, we were playing in twos, so the pace of play was great. It’s a U.S. Open qualifier. You will find adrenaline and energy.”

David Shefter is a senior staff writer at the USGA. Email him at dshefter@usga.org.