Juarez native, former Immanuel Christian student Carmona thrilled to qualify for U.S. Open

Qualifying for the 121st U.S. Open golf tournament always figured to be a grand adventure for Juarez native Mario Carmona.

As it unfolded two weeks ago, it was stranger, and ultimately more wonderful, still.

Carmona, who attended El Paso's Immanuel Christian in sixth and seventh grades before his family moved to Houston at the peak of the Juarez violence in 2009, needed a top 10 finish in a 36-hole qualifier at Dallas Athletic Club to punch his ticket to San Diego's Torrey Pines Golf Course.

Throughout a rainy Monday on May 24 Carmona was in position, but a series of rain delays finally moved the 2018 Rice alum's final 12 holes to Tuesday.

On the 18th hole, sitting in fourth place, with one foot figuratively on the airplane to San Diego, Carmona's round was suspended again.

"The qualifier was kind of crazy," Carmona said. "It was supposed to be one day, 36 holes, then all the rain delays pushed the finish back a day. I had one shot left, on the 36th hole, they blew the horn for weather.

"During the delay, I was getting text messages the whole time from friends. It helped a lot that my parents were there, I could talk with them, stay loose. This happens at tournaments, you get accustomed to rain delays. This was qualifying for the U.S. Open, that was different, but I've been through rain delays before.

"We waited five and a half hours, then I hit my approach and two-putted to get in."

He also had a great time at the qualifier paired with 2010 U.S. Open champion Graeme McDowell, whose 10-year champions exemption for the Open ended and like Camona, was trying to earn a spot in the field. McDowell did not qualify.

"He's a super-nice guy," Carmona said. "He played at UAB so we had a Conference USA connection, we talked about that. We played a lot of similar college events, though his were 15 years before me."

Carmona, who grew up playing at Club Campestre Juarez before his move to Houston when he was 12, has been through quite a bit in the last year. After graduating from Rice he played on the Latinoamerica tour in 2019 but lost his card. Then came 2020, when there was no Q school and Carmona had to scramble to find tournaments.

"A lot changed last year," Camona said. "I played Monday qualifiers, I actually played more than I thought I would, six or seven tournaments, but it was still a little hard, not having status."

That could all change in the coming weeks. By making it through two qualifiers, first at Lakeside Country Club in Houston on May 17 and then at the Dallas Athletic Club on May 24 and 25, Carmona has opened up more possibilities for his future in golf.

"I get my chance, hopefully I can play well and show what I can do," he said. "Obviously this is a big event and a good showing could open up a lot of opportunities. I've played some U.S. Amateurs in the past, I've played in front of cameras.

"The U.S. Open is a little different, but that's part of it. I'll be a little nervous, but this is going to be a great experience, I'm going to have a good time. My family will be there and what I want to do is soak it all in."

He gets that chance June 17-20 at Torrey Pines.

Bret Bloomquist can be reached at 915-546-6359; bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; @Bretbloomquist on Twitter.