He was going through the qualifying steps that amateurs have to go through. If he accepts money from the tournament though, he would have to go get his tour card if he wants to play again on that level.
He was already a golf pro. A teaching pro, but a pro all the same and he would have kept any prize money. Unless he bet it away on some stupid challenge!
For those who may not know, "touring pros", the guys we see on TV most weekends competing for prize money, are only a small percentage of golfers who are "pro golfers", but most of them are club pros and teaching pros. Most of them are very accomplished golfers, but touring pros are in a whole different league.
TxMike Make a choice, to take a chance, to make a difference.
I Agree -- he was a pro (and they even mentioned he was on a few of the "mini tours" at one point). Qualifying is not just for amateurs but pros often do it also, even those with their PGA Tour Card but who have not won a tournament or other qualify for the Open. Those on the minor tours most go through qualification. For example, Tiger Woods had to qualify when he turned pro -- although he won the US amateur that year he forfeited his automatic spot by turning pro.
Roy is a professional golfer. The qualifying process he uses to enter the tournament is open to any player with certain restrictions. Roy mentions you need to have a two handicap. The US Open is an "open" tournament. It allows golfers that may not have qualified through other methods a chance to compete. Even high profile pros sometimes use the qualifying process. I know in recent years Fred Couples when through the process to get into the field.