Chase Kyes earned his U.S. Open spot. Three brands backed it with NIL deals.

by Golf NIL Staff

June 17, 2026

Chase Kyes birdied the 36th hole at Hawks Ridge Golf Club in Ball Ground, Georgia, to punch his ticket to the U.S. Open. Moments later, on camera with Golf Channel's Ryan Lavner, he found out the tournament started the following Thursday. "I didn't know it was next week," he said. The clip went viral within hours.

It's a good story on its own. It gets better through an NIL lens.

Chase Kyes during a practice round before the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills | Kathryn Riley/USGA

The Birmingham native and world No. 217 heads into his sophomore year at Tennessee this fall. He's the same player who didn't realize how close the season's third major actually was, and brands found him anyway. Cardiac Solutions, Hoover Toyota, and Elite Performance Medical have all signed on for his major championship debut at Shinnecock Hills.

A cardiac care provider and hometown car dealership based in the Birmingham area, and a medical sales startup with a small team spread throughout the country, now have a player representing them in one of the game's biggest events, broadcast to a global audience that has never had reason to know them.

For Kyes, it's early validation that performance creates opportunity, viral moment or not. For the brands, it's the kind of visibility companies like this don't normally see.

Then there's adidas. Kyes has worn the brand personally for years, and it's set to become the official outfitter of Tennessee athletics. Last year, the sportswear giant signed a 10-year deal as the Vols' official apparel supplier, an agreement that also includes NIL opportunities for student-athletes. Tennessee's move away from Nike officially takes shape July 1.

He tees off Thursday at 6:57 a.m. ET, grouped with England's Matthew Jordan and Argentina's Alejandro Tosti.