April 26 (Reuters) – This year’s U.S. Open at the Olympic
Club in San Francisco has attracted its fourth highest entry
total of 9,006 entries, the United States Golf Association
(USGA) said on Thursday.
The number of applicants for the June 14-17 tournament is
eclipsed only by the 2009 U.S. Open at Bethpage Black (9,086),
the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach (9,052) and the 2005 U.S.
Open at Pinehurst (9,048).
“It is always gratifying to see how many golfers, from
across the world, are interested in playing in the National Open
Championship,” USGA executive director Mike Davis said in a
statement.
“The great appeal of the U.S. Open is that anyone can enter,
provided they meet the handicap index standards set forth.”
To be eligible to enter the U.S. Open, the second of the
year’s four majors, a player must be a professional or have a
handicap of 1.4 or better.
Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy, the world number one, will
defend the title he clinched in record-breaking style last year
at Congressional where he triumphed by eight shots.
Eight other former champions are fully exempt for this
year’s edition: Angel Cabrera (2007), Michael Campbell (2005),
Jim Furyk (2003), Lucas Glover (2009), Retief Goosen (2001,
2004), Graeme McDowell (2010), Geoff Ogilvy (2006) and Tiger
Woods (2000, 2002, 2008).
Local qualifying for the U.S. Open starts on April 30 at
more than 100 venues after which 36 holes of sectional
qualifying will take place at 13 venues from May 21 to June 4.
For the eighth year in a row, two of the sectional
qualifiers are international. One will be held in Japan, on May
21, and the other in England, on May 28.
(Reporting by Mark Lamport-Stokes in Los Angeles; Editing by
Greg Stutchbury)
