Renato Paratore

The Italian is making his first U.S. Open appearance after surviving a 5-for-1 playoff for the last spot in the Surrey, England, sectional at Walton Heath Golf Club. Paratore shot 7-under 137 on the Old and New courses.
Took up golf, alongside his mother, at the age of eight after being inspired by a family friend and quickly discovered he had a natural talent, first shooting under par at age 13.
Paratore turned professional in 2014 after a decorated junior career in which he twice represented Europe on the Junior Ryder Cup Team. He also reached the quarterfinals of the 2013 Amateur Championship, and captured the 2014 Portuguese Amateur, the Junior Orange Bowl in Miami and the Italian Stroke Play Championship between 2013 and 2014. He also won the Men's Individual Strokeplay Gold at the 2014 Youth Olympics. In November of 2014, he earned his European Tour card as the third youngest player at just 17 years and 341 days in Q-School.
2015 Notes: Played in 29 European Tour events making 14 cuts with one top-ten finish a T-5th at the D+D REAL Czech Masters. Was 109th in the Race to Dubai with euro251,218.
2016 Notes: Played in 33 European Tour events making 24 cuts with three top-ten finishes. Had a pair of T-7th finishes at the Omega European Masters and Alfred Dunhill Links Championship. Was 57th in the Race to Dubai with euro637,032.
2017 Notes: Played in 27 European Tour events making 13 cuts with three top-ten finishes. Claimed his maiden European Tour title at the age of 20 at the 2017 Nordea Masters beating Matthew Fitzpatrick and Chris Wood by a shot. His next start he was T-6th at the BMW International. He finished 73rd in the Race to Dubai earning euro580,503.
2018 Notes: Played in 27 European Tour events making 14 cuts with three top-ten finishes. Was T-2nd at the Porsche European Open. Despite a birdie on his final hole, he was a shot back of winner RIchard McEvoy. He started his year T-7th at the BMW SA Open, then had a T-4th finish at Qatar Masters 3 shots back of winner Eddie Pepperell. Paratore finished 81st in the Race to Dubai with euro565,478.
2019 Notes: Was T-8th at the Betfred British Masters shooting 66 in the final round.
The U.S. Open will be Paratore's first major start, he has played one other time in America finishing T-44th in the 2017 WGC-Bridgestone Invitational.