GRAFTON — On a typical summer day at Green Fields Golf Center on Milwaukee's Southwest side, Mike Johnston might be handing out buckets of golf balls, giving a lesson or climbing into the trusty picker to clean up the driving range.

Not only was Monday an atypical day for Johnston, but the rest of the week expects to be as well, after the 32-year-old driving range pro qualified for the U.S. Bank Championship in Milwaukee.

After coming up empty about a half-dozen times over the years, Johnston carded a 4-under-par 68 in open qualifying at Fire Ridge Golf Club to collect one of four available spots in what will be his PGA Tour debut.

"I've always known that I've had the game to get out there," said Johnston, who played golf at Marquette and toiled on the mini-tours for a few years. "But these qualifiers are so tough to get through. … Some of the numbers these guys put up are just crazy. I guess it's just a matter of things falling into place."

South Africa's Jake Roos (65), Deane Pappas (69) and Josh Esler (69) also made the USBC field. Pappas and Esler earned the final two spots following a four-man playoff that also included Joel Kribel (69) — the 1997 U.S. Amateur runner-up who played with Tiger Woods at Stanford — and Andy Pope (69).

When Johnston isn't at the golf range, he's busy with a full house at home. He and his wife, Julie, have three children — the oldest is 5 — with another one on the way.

After losing his job as a waiter at a steakhouse — the restaurant went belly-up over the winter — Johnston stayed home and spent time with his family. But the itch to play competitive golf never left.

"It just really started to get expensive," Johnston said of his mini-tour days. "Then you've got to start making an honest living. But I never stopped playing. I just love the competition."

The spot in the USBC also is a bit of redemption for Johnston, who held a late lead at the 2007 Wisconsin State Open — where the winner gets a USBC exemption — but finished fourth due to poor putting.

Over the winter, Johnston began a fitness routine with the help of Tom Mitchell, the former caddie of Madison's Steve Stricker. Johnston said it's helped his entire golf game, including his stroke with the shortest stick.

On Monday, he needed only an estimated 25 or 26 putts, which included birdies on his final two holes.

On the 420-yard ninth — Johnston's final hole — he sank a 18-footer for a 68.

"Made a great read, a great stroke and the hole caught it," he said. "I was very excited."

Roos successfully qualified for the second time this year Monday. He missed the cut at the Buick Open, shooting 77-68.

The South African grew up playing tennis, but switched to golf at age 16. Dedicated to improve, he became a scratch golfer within a year.

After studying accounting in college, he turned pro in 2005 to chase a dream — like several players in Monday qualifying fields across the country.

"I think a lot of my friends are doing quite well now, financially, earning the big bucks and they have a lot of security," Roos said. "And what I'm doing is chasing my dream. It's a lot of fun, but it doesn't have a lot of security."

Turcott awarded spot

Middleton native and former University of Wisconsin athlete Jon Turcott accepted a sponsor's exemption into the USBC over the weekend.

Turcott, playing in the Nationwide Tour, withdrew from the qualifier at Fire Ridge.

"I'm just happy I got a spot," Turcott said in a phone interview. "There's a lot of guys out there worthy of getting one."