Since joining the Alaska golf community last summer, Jordan Miller has left his mark with superb tournament performances. His latest achievement was winning the U.S. Open qualifier at Palmer Golf Course earlier this month, earning him the opportunity to compete in sectionals next week.

Miller, 29, called the win one of his proudest achievements and looks forward to playing 36 holes at Royal Oaks Country Club in Vancouver, Wash., on Monday. He tees off at 7:50 a.m., with results available at usopen.com.

“Even in the first round, it’s going to be tough to kinda stay focused and keep it going,” Miller said. “You can’t not think about what the end result is if you play well.”

If Miller goes low enough Monday, he will earn a spot in the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club. The last player to win a U.S. Open after surviving local and sectional qualifying was Orville Moody in 1969.

If anyone has a chance to represent Alaska in the U.S. Open, it is probably Miller, who played college golf at University of Missouri-Kansas City and played some junior golf with PGA Tour player Robert Streb.

“I think it helps, because I played really hard and fast greens growing up, so that’s not going to be that uncomfortable,” Miller said. “It’s just kind of the stage that’s gonna be frightening. It would be a different feeling than I’ve ever felt if I’m playing well after the first round.”