James, McCarthy and Kohles Paired Together for U.S. Open

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – All three players with Virginia ties have been paired in the same group for the first two rounds of this week’s U.S. Open Golf Championship. Rising UVA junior Ben James will play with former Cavalier All-Americans and current PGATour professionals Denny McCarthy and Ben Kohles on Thursday and Friday in Pinehurst, N.C.

The trio of Cavaliers will tee off Thursday from the 10th tee at 2:09 p.m. ET. Friday they start at 8:24 a.m. from the first tee. USA Network and Peacock will carry first-round action. Peacock and NBC will broadcast the second round. USA and NBC will carry the final two rounds on the weekend.

The 2024 U.S. Open will be James’ first major championships. He earned a spot in the field by tying for medalist honors at a USGA qualifying site in Summit, N.J. on June 3. He shot 11-under (67-64) during 36 holes of competition. The 21-year-old native of Milford, Conn., tied for second at the 2024 NCAA Championships and was named a first-team All-American by PING and Golfweek.

McCarthy is making his fifth U.S. Open start. He previously played in 2023, 2022, 2016 and 2015. He best finish came in 2022 when he tied for seventh at The Country Club. McCarthy is in the 2024 field thanks to being inside the top 60 of the Official World Golf Ranking as of May 20. McCarthy graduated from UVA in 2015.

This will be Kohles second U.S. Open appearance. He earned his way into the field by being the points leader from the 2023 Korn Ferry Tour season. His previous U.S. Open start was in 2017 at Erin Hills where he missed the cut. Kohles was a two-time ACC Player of the Year while competing for the Cavaliers. He graduated in 2012 when he turned professional.