US OPEN star Justin Hastings did not earn a single penny for his efforts at Oakmont, despite becoming the first ever star from the Cayman Islands to make the cut.
Hastings, 21, qualified by virtue of winning the Latin America Amateur Championship.
Justin Hastings made the cut at the US Open[/caption]
Of the 15 amateurs to take part, Hastings was the only one to make the cut.
But due to his amateur status, the rising star was not eligible to take home any prize money.
This year’s event carried a total purse of $21,500,000.
Eventual winner JJ Spaun pocketed a cool $4.3m for his efforts.
Hastings finished the US Open tied for 55th place.
His 15-over effort saw him finish above the likes of Brian Harman – while stars Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Rose and Dustin Johnson missed the cut altogether.
Speaking after the event, Hastings seemed unbothered by not earning any of the huge purse on offer.
The enthusiastic amateur said: “It was such a treat just to be able to play in the US Open and then let alone have the success to be able to call yourself low amateur, it’s something I’ll hold onto for the rest of my life.
“I think I’ve said it coming off the course every day, there’s been a lot of good. There’s been a lot of good.
“Today I played a very similar round to the ones I did the first three days and just had no luck on the putting green.”
Hastings felt that the experience proved that he can mix it with the superstars of the sport.
He added: “I think it’s just a lot of reassuring things that I’ve known/thought about myself for a while, and that is that I can compete out here with my good golf game — when my golf game’s good is what I mean.
“Yeah, I think I was just reaffirmed that, when I have my golf game, I can kind of compete out here.
“That’s something I’m going to take with me in the future, and hopefully I’ll be out here sooner rather than later.”
‘SPECIAL’
After the event, Hastings posted several pictures to his Instagram account.
He reflected: “2025 US Open… special stuff.”
Amazingly, Hastings has already represented the Cayman Islands in another sport.
In 2018, he played roller hockey for his country as a teenager.
The Cayman Islands has a population of little over 70,000.
Incredibly, the Caribbean island only has 27 golf holes.
