By the time Gordon Sargent was born, Stewart Cink had played in the U.S. Open seven times, including a third-place finish in the 2001 tournament.

Both golfers are in the field for the 123rd U.S. Open, which will be contested from Thursday through Sunday on the North Course at Los Angeles Country Club.

They’re among the seven players with Alabama golf roots who will tee off in this year’s national championship.

At 50 years old, Cink will play in the U.S. Open for the 23rd time. A 20-year-old, Sargent will play in the tournament for the first time.

Also set to make their U.S. Open debuts on Thursday are Auburn golfers Jacob Solomon and Brendan Valdes.

Huntsville native and Alabama golfer Nick Dunlap and Lee-Scott Academy alumnus Davis Thompson will tee off for the second time in the U.S. Open after playing in last year’s tournament.

Former Alabama All-American Justin Thomas is playing in his ninth U.S. Open and, at No. 16 in the Official World Golf Ranking, is the only one of the state’s contingent who didn’t need to survive the qualifying process to reach the tournament.

An alumnus of Bradshaw High School in Florence, Cink earned his U.S. Open spot by tying for third at 9-under par in the tournament at Brookside Golf and Country Club and the Lakes Golf and Country Club in Columbus, Ohio. He was among the 645 players in 10 36-hole tournaments on June 6 seeking the final 45 spots in the U.S. Open.

Cink had to qualify even though his PGA Tour career includes a victory in the British Open in 2009 and he’s played in 87 major tournaments.

“For a long time, I was exempt into every major,” Cink said after qualifying for the U.S. Open, “and I probably, if I’m looking back and being honest, I probably took it for granted a little bit along the way, so now that I’m not in every major, it hurts to miss them, and to qualify for one more and to get to experience that again, it just makes it even more special. I had a lot to play for today. I like playing in the U.S. Open. I just love it. I love golf. I love competing. …

“I just feel so blessed to be able to compete in this game. I’m 50 years old, and I’m still hitting the ball like I did when I was a young kid – better than I was when I was a young kid. And it’s just a blast to come out here and be able to compete.”

A Vanderbilt sophomore, Sargent is a former Mountain Brook High School standout. He earned his first appearance in the U.S. Open by capturing medalist honors at 13-under par in the tournament on June 6 at Hawks Ridge Golf Club in Ball Ground, Georgia.

Sargent made his major tournament debut in April when he played in the Masters, and he’ll be competing with pros again later this month, when he gets to tee it up on June 27 in the PGA Tour’s Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club on a sponsor exemption.

Streaming coverage of the first round of the U.S. Open starts on Peacock at 8:40 a.m. CDT Thursday. Televised coverage on Thursday will be on USA Network from noon to 7 p.m. and NBC from 7 to 10 p.m.

Mark Inabinett is a sports reporter for Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter at @AMarkG1.