They won’t have to wonder any longer. The two earned berths to this year’s U.S. Amateur after tying for second Monday at Peninsula Golf and Country Club in San Mateo. Storer, a 2004 Aragon High graduate, and Prescott, a ’03 Serra graduate, both shot 2-over-par 144 — qualifying consists of 36 holes played in one day — earning the last two spots out of Peninsula in a field of over 80 players.

Now they’ll be taking their clubs to play in the Amateur at the famed Pinehurst course in North Carolina, taking place Aug. 18-24. Calling it the biggest accomplishment of their careers, the two were ecstatic of realizing their dreams. Storer, 22, will be making his second appearance in the Amateur, having qualified two years ago. Prescott, 23, will be making his debut on his third try.

“I’ve done things I’m proud of, but nothing compares to this,” Prescott said. “The fact we were playing on our home course made it all the more special.”

“It’s a very exciting feeling to know that we’re going together,” Storer said. “It should be a lot of fun.”

But the two weren’t having a whole lot of fun at the end of their rounds. In fact, Storer and Prescott thought their dreams of qualifying would turn into a nightmare. Prescott was in the first group to tee off at 7:30 a.m., and nine hours later he walked off the course thinking he had just thrown his chances away.

Prescott bogeyed the 15th hole in his final round and parred his final three holes despite having chances at birdie for each of them. Storer’s situation was even more precarious. He needed to make a 15-foot putt on the 18th to gain his bid outright; otherwise, he would be forced into a playoff to determine the final bid coming out of Peninsula.

“Towards the end I started feeling the pressure because my round was not going the way I planned,” Storer said. “There was added pressure to get the job done. It seemed like I was blowing my chance.”

Said Prescott: “When I walked off the 18th hole I didn’t think I was going to make it. I thought I shot myself in the foot and had just thrown away a great opportunity. Then as time passed it looked like my score would stand up. But the wait was nerve-wracking. You try to stay calm but it’s not easy.”

Once Storer made his putt, pandemonium erupted. The two had numerous family, friends and relatives cheering them on, causing quite a scene. For a second Prescott wondered if he was imagining things, but once he received his U.S. Amateur packet, reality was better than a dream.

“I’ve been on the other end of the stick before, watching other people get that packet,” he said. “It’s not a great feeling. It was nice to get it this time.”

The amazing part of this friendship revolves around the similar paths Storer and Prescott have taken with their respective golf games. Both are late bloomers. In fact, Storer rarely played in junior tournaments in his early-to-mid teens, focusing on high school golf instead. Both had solid prep careers, but nothing spectacular.

And both found their calling at Notre Dame de Namur University, enjoying a breakout in their junior year before finishing their college golf career with subpar senior seasons. Even though Prescott is a year older, they both graduated at the same time a couple of months ago because Prescott attended Fresno State as a freshman before transferring to NDNU.

Storer and Prescott attended the same elementary and middle schools and even played on the same Little League baseball team. Their families have gone on trips together. Like all great friendships, there’s a complementary feature to Storer and Prescott’s budding rivalry. They push each other on the practice green and golf course, as both of them would want nothing more than to beat the other.

It’s a friendly rivalry, based on years of competitive fun. Prescott is the more outgoing type and willing to talk about anything, while Storer tends to be more subdued and calculating. It’s a perfect combination that’s made for some lively battles over the years. In the last month Storer has played at a higher level, but Prescott is always at his heels. When asked who was the better golfer, Prescott wouldn’t budge.

“That’s an ongoing debate as to who’s better,” he said. “It’s safe to say over the last couple of years Kory has played better than I have. When we were growing up I was definitely better than he was. All of a sudden (in college) he got really good. We bounce off each other and compete hard against one another. We can beat each other on any given day.”

During his high school days, Prescott described his game as “grip it and rip it,” a phrase used to describe players who have no sense of the game. But after a while Prescott learned to manage the course, and his hard work and dedication are paying off. Now he and Storer are still pinching themselves over Monday’s events. Two friends, two golfers, two dreams, two berths to the prestigious U.S. Amateur.

“You always think about something like this, but you never expect it to happen,” Prescott said. “Qualifying for the Amateur seems so far-fetched at times. The fact that I’ll be playing with one of my best friends? It really hasn’t set in yet.”

There are moments that live forever, and for Storer and Prescott, Monday was one of them.