Matt Daniel: What It’s Really Like to Play the U.S. Senior Open

Matt Daniel is back on Steve Tees Off — but this time, he’s got one hell of a story to tell.Just weeks after turning 50, Matt battled through qualifying and earned his way into the 2026 U.S. Senior Open at Scioto Country Club. Now he takes Steve inside the entire experience: arriving in Ohio, practice rounds, tournament pressure, the course setup, his pairings, and what it feels like to suddenly find yourself competing alongside some of the biggest names in golf.Matt also talks about what he noticed watching players like Padraig Harrington, Ernie Els, Steve Stricker and Stewart Cink up close — and whether the very best players really do have something the rest of us don't.Plus, the lessons he brought home from Scioto, some of the funniest and most surreal moments of the week, his recent Cultus Open victory, and the big question:After making it to a U.S. Senior Open, where does Matt Daniel go from here?A great conversation about competitive golf, confidence, longevity — and finding out exactly where your game stacks up when you finally get inside the ropes.Presented with support from RiversideGolf.ca.Follow Steve Tees Off on Spotify so you don't miss the next conversation.