It hasn’t been an easy rookie season on the PGA Tour for Redwood City native and Danville resident Kevin Velo.

But he had one of his most enjoyable moments of his golf career on Monday.

Velo shot an 8-under 132 over 36 holes at Lambton Golf & Country Club just outside of Toronto to qualify for his first major, the 125th U.S. Open, later this month at historic Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.

Velo shot a 5-under for the first 18 holes and 3-under for the final 18 as he finished as the top qualifier among 60 golfers who were competing for one of seven available spots at the site for the Open, which begins on June 12.

“To play at a historic place like Oakmont coming up, I’m super excited,” Velo told NBC Sports. “I’m going to have to change my flight plans a little bit here and book a house. But I’m extremely excited.”

Velo’s accomplishment came on what is dubbed Golf’s Longest Day, with U.S. Open qualifying events taking place all over North America. Hundreds of golfers from around the world, including several PGA Tour players, took part in marathon 36-hole events during sectional qualifying, searching for one of 47 available spots.

Any professional or amateur with a 0.4 handicap index or lower can sign up to compete for a spot at the U.S. Open.

Velo did not start focusing on golf until his early teens, and as a freshman at Monte Vista, did not make the typically deep and talented varsity or junior varsity golf teams.

But Velo put in the work, developed his game at San Ramon Golf Club and the driving range at The Bridges Golf Club, returned to tryouts as a sophomore, and qualified for the varsity team.

Velo graduated from Monte Vista High School in 2015 and San Jose State in 2019. The Spartans were the only school to offer a scholarship to Velo, who was also a standout soccer player at Monte Vista.

Now he’ll be at Oakmont, which has hosted nine U.S. Opens and counts Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller, Dustin Johnson, and Ernie Els among its past champions.

“I don’t really have words for it right now,” he said. “It’s still a little bit of shock.”

— Curtis Pashelka

NFL

Former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jim Marshall, one of the four members of the famed Purple People Eaters front that formed the backbone of four Super Bowl teams, died Tuesday after a long hospitalization for an undisclosed illness. He was 87.

The Vikings announced Marshall’s death on behalf of his wife, Susan. The native of Kentucky, who played at Ohio State and was drafted in 1960 by the Cleveland Browns, played 19 of his 20 seasons in the NFL with Minnesota. The two-time Pro Bowl pick set a league record for position players with 282 consecutive regular-season games played, a mark held by Marshall until quarterback Brett Favre broke it, coincidentally, with the Vikings in 2010.

Marshall remains the NFL career record-holder, now tied with Jason Taylor, for opponent fumbles recovered with 29. One of those infamously came on Oct. 25, 1964, at San Francisco when, after the Vikings forced 49ers running back Billy Kilmer to cough up the ball, Marshall scooped it up and scampered 66 yards into the end zone — the wrong way.

After he tossed the ball in the air and turned toward the touchdown celebration with his teammates he was expecting, Marshall stopped in his tracks and put his hands on his hips in disbelief upon realizing he’d cost his team a safety. The Vikings went on to win 27-22.

Swimming

Swimmers and officials who compete in and support a doping-fueled sports event planned in Las Vegas will be banished from the sport, the governing body World Aquatics said on Tuesday.

Organizers of the Enhanced Games scheduled next May promise $1 million bonuses for athletes who beat world record times over sprint distances in the pool or on the track. Weightlifting also is on the program.

A small group of past Olympic swimmers, including three-time medalist James Magnussen of Australia, are among athletes who signed up for the event that aims to push limits beyond the rules of clean sport.

Baseball

Wake Forest and baseball coach Tom Walter apologized on Tuesday for what appeared to be a homophobic slur caught by television cameras during an NCAA regional game against Tennessee.

“I am very sorry for my outburst in frustration last night and I recognize the hurt and disappointment it has caused,” Walter said in a statement issued by the school. “I own the consequences and I apologize to the University of Tennessee, to Wake Forest University, and the SEC & ACC.”

Wake Forest athletic director John Currie said he was “surprised and deeply disappointed” and said he spoke with Walter after the game and again Tuesday.

The “Big Three” starting pitchers that led the Oakland Athletics to four consecutive playoff appearances during their “Moneyball” era will be commemorated together later this season.

Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito will be inducted to the Athletics Hall of Fame, alongside former broadcaster Monte Moore, on Sept. 13, the club announced Tuesday. The ceremony will take place at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento before the A’s host the Cincinnati Reds in their temporary home.