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Pollo is the first Jim Anderson-era Wildcat to qualify for the U.S. Open, after the junior shot 6 under at the 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier at Valencia Country Club in Valencia, California, on Monday.

Pollo became one of 10 amateur golfers to qualify for the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania, his first PGA Tour event, which runs June 12-15.

鈥淚t鈥檒l take a little bit (to settle in), but it鈥檚 pretty crazy,鈥� Pollo said on Golf Channel. 鈥淚 never teed it up professionally. What a place to do it.鈥�

The U.S. Open event in Valencia produced four qualifiers. In addition to Pollo, Preston Summerhays (10 under), Riley Lewis (7 under) and Joey Herrera (4 under) also qualified. Michael Block, who rose to fame after becoming the first club professional to make the cut at the PGA Championship in 2023, competed at the U.S. Open qualifier in Valencia, but didn鈥檛 advance.

Pollo is the second Wildcat connected to the U.S. Open this year. Former Wildcat Yu-Sang Hou competed in last week鈥檚 U.S. Women鈥檚 Open at Erin Hills in Wisconsin, but failed to make the cut after two rounds.

In the last calendar year, Pollo won the individual title at the St. Andrews Links Collegiate in Scotland and had a Top 10 finish at the Amherst Regional in Virginia last month.

鈥淲e鈥檙e thrilled,鈥� Arizona men鈥檚 golf head coach Jim Anderson said of Pollo. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going into his senior year and he has positioned himself as one of the best in college golf. ... Having the chance to qualify for the U.S. Open is an honor in itself. We were talking about it in the preceding weeks: 鈥榋ach, your game is there and you can get one of those spots.鈥� Sure enough, he went out there and played very solid. Now, he鈥檚 got a spot at Oakmont and we鈥檙e thrilled for him.鈥�

Added Anderson: 鈥淲e鈥檙e very excited for him and the experience he鈥檚 going to pick up. I couldn鈥檛 be more happy for Zach. He was pictured with his U of A shirt on (in Valencia) and he鈥檚 a Wildcat through and through. We鈥檙e very happy to see the progression he continues to make. ... He鈥檚 not afraid of big-time golf on big-time golf courses, so I鈥檓 excited to see how he does.鈥�

Anderson said the reserved Pollo is 鈥渧ery focused with his golf and he works really hard.鈥�

鈥淎s an incoming freshman, he had the skillset you look for: great ball speed, very good putter,鈥� said Anderson.

As an underclassman, Pollo was a 鈥渟treaky putter鈥� but has become consistent on the greens, said Anderson.

鈥淲hen he was young, he had great weeks, but when it wasn鈥檛 all there, it was a little bit inconsistent, and that鈥檚 where he made remarkable strides,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just part of the maturation process and really improving your composure as a competitive golfer as you grow. Now, he鈥檚 got all the tools, with his length off the tee, a good wedge player and still putts it great.

鈥淲hen he does play well, he鈥檚 getting a chance to play in the U.S. Open. When he鈥檚 not at his best, he鈥檚 still in the top 20% of the field in the events he鈥檚 playing in. A lot of times in golf, it鈥檚 about how you compete and perform when you don鈥檛 have every single component working the way you want it to be working.鈥�

The U.S. Open 鈥渋s one of the biggest tournaments you could possibly get into,鈥� Anderson said. Other notable Wildcats to play in the U.S. Open include Jim Furyk and Ricky Barnes, who set the 36-hole scoring record at the 2009 U.S. Open.

USGA announced it received a record 10,202 entries for the U.S. Open qualifiers at 110 different local qualifying sites. For the final 10 qualifying sites, there were 744 golfers. Only 47 golfers from the qualifiers advanced to the 156-player U.S. Open this year.

鈥淚t鈥檇 be really cool if they could play the U.S. Open with the best 1,000 golfers, but the USGA has to limit it to 156,鈥� Anderson said. 鈥淢ost of those players are there by way of how they played as professionals. ... It鈥檚 an honor to make it, and it鈥檚 a lifetime experience for many.

鈥淭here are professional journeyman who try to play golf for a living and it鈥檚 a serious hobby for them; they dream of having the chance to play in one U.S. Open. For Zach to do this at 21 (years old) and have aspirations to get to play in more of these, it鈥檚 a great way to kickstart what will soon be great professional career for him.鈥�