The Spirit of Open Competition

There’s something timeless about the thrill of the underdog. The kind of drama that unfolds when an unknown contender steps onto a grand stage and makes the giants sweat. In the world of sports, two tournaments capture this magic better than most: the U.S. Open (golf) and the FA Cup (soccer). On the surface, these events couldn’t be more different — one’s an individual test of precision over manicured fairways, the other a chaotic fight for glory between soccer clubs. But dig a little deeper, and they share something rare: true openness.

Both tournaments are built around the radical idea that anyone or team can qualify despite your background. In golf’s U.S. Open, a player doesn’t need to be a tour pro or world-ranked superstar. If you’ve got the game, you can qualify. Each year, thousands of amateurs and journeymen enter local qualifiers, battling through increasingly tough rounds to earn a tee time alongside the best in the world.  For example, some of the notable athletes (that aren’t professional golfers) competing to qualify this year include Tony Romo, Danny Woodhead, J.T. Miller and Aaron Hicks.

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The FA Cup works the same way — but with teams. Clubs from the ninth tier of English football can enter. That’s right, a pub team with part-time players could, theoretically, line up against Manchester United at Old Trafford. It almost never happens — but the point is, it could. And sometimes, something close to that does.

Photo from thefa.com

Throughout the years, we’ve been able to witness many historic runs that defy logic.  Think of amateur Francis Ouimet and his 10-year-old caddy defeating Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in 1913.  The moment wasn’t just a victory for Ouimet — it changed the course of golf in America, opening the game to a broader, working-class audience. His story was so electric that nearly a century later, Disney turned it into the 2005 film The Greatest Game Ever Played, with Shia LaBeouf starring as Ouimet.  

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Remember Lincoln City in 2017? A non-league side that bulldozed its way into the quarterfinals, becoming the first team from outside the top four divisions to do so in over a century. Or Marine FC in 2021, whose players were delivering Amazon packages during the week and then facing Premier League stars on the weekend.  In both tournaments, the playing field isn’t even — but the opportunity is real. And that’s what makes these two tournaments arguably the best in all of sports.

Photo from thefa.com

The beauty of the U.S. Open and the FA Cup lies in what they represent: a chance. They give players and teams something the sports world rarely does — a shot that isn't gated by fame, ranking, or financial clout.

This isn't just good storytelling. It keeps the games honest. It reminds the pros that nothing is guaranteed, and it reminds the rest of us that, with the right day and the right mindset, anything is possible.

Sports often mirror life, and both these tournaments are proof that structure matters. When you build something that allows for unexpected voices to break through, you don’t dilute the product — you elevate it. The upsets, the heartbreak, the Cinderella stories — these aren’t bugs in the system. They’re features. Essential ones.

So whether it's a golfer grinding out on a muni course qualifier, or a sixth-division side dreaming of Wembley, the message is the same:  greatness isn’t reserved for the fortunate – it’s open to anyone with the heart to chase it.