Sectional qualifying for the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst began last week internationally but begins here in the United States on Monday.

Ten clubs across the nation are holding U.S. Open Sectional qualifiers today. The qualifiers, which have come to make up what's known as 'Golf's Longest Day' are underway with numerous low scores posted by amateurs.

Here's a quick look at the storylines we're following as afternoon play begins in the 36-hole qualifiers:

In Houston, recently-crowned two-time NCAA champion Cory Whitsett fired a 6-under 66 to take the lead after the morning 18 at Lakeside Country Club. The 2013 U.S. Walker Cup team member is 2-under this afternoon and remains in the lead. University of Texas star Kramer Hickock is currently in 2nd place, shooting a 4-under 68 this morning. A total of 56 players are competing at Lakeside for just three Open spots.

Stanford's Maverick McNealy, who battled Talor Gooch in an epic semifinal match last week at the NCAA Championship, is tied for the lead at the Daly City, Calif. qualifier. He shot 5-under 67 in his morning round to tie pros Alex Cejka and Adam Long. Cory McElyea, who qualified for last year's U.S. Open at Merion, is two shots back with one hole to play in his first round. Five players will advance out of this 110-man event.

Amateurs rule the leaderboard in Rosewell, Ga. At Asnley Golf Club's Settindown Creek Course, LSU's Smylie Kaufman is 4-under on the back nine of his second round and tied for the lead with Henrik Norlander. Fellow amateurs Trevor Cone, Mookie Demoss and Tee Opperman are battling to keep pace and sneak into one of the two berths in this 31-man qualifier.

Will Grimmer, who shot a 59 at last year's North and South Junior, is tied for third place alongside Andrew Dorn, who won last year's North and South Amateur, at the Springfield, Ohio qualifier. At Springfield Country Club, the two are the lone amateurs currently in the mix for one of just three qualifying positions in the 63-man qualifier.

Ten clubs across the nation are currently holding U.S. Open Sectional qualifiers in what has become known as 'Golf's Longest Day'.

Below is a look at what to expect at each sectional qualifier with an eye towards the amateur game:

Lake Merced Golf Club/Olympic Club (Ocean Course)

With plenty of USGA history between the them, two of the San Francisco area's top courses will host an impressive field of amateurs and professionals hoping to reach the U.S. Open.

Brandon Hagy, who recently wrapped up a stellar career at Cal, leads the amateur contingency. Among the top amateurs in the world, Hagy was a 2012 U.S. Amateur semifinalist and will represent the U.S. in the upcoming Palmer Cup.

Cory McElyea, another collegiate star, hopes to reach a second straight U.S. Open. McElyea, a University of San Francisco golfer, played at last year's U.S. Open at Merion.

Casey Boyns, a longtime member of AmateurGolf.com and past California State Amateur Champion, is also hoping to punch his ticket.

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Quail Valley Golf Club

Look out for low scores in Vero Beach, Fla. Monday as high school junior and recent University of Florida verbal commitment Sam Horsfield takes aim at the U.S. Open. Horsfield, who won the New Year's Invitational in January, shot 61 in a U.S. Amateur Public Links qualifier last year and has gone low in competition on numerous other instances.

Two-time Dixie Amateur champion and LSU golfer Curtis Thompson is another player to watch. The brother of LPGA Tour star Lexi Thompson, he'll hope to join brother Nicholas (professional), who's in the field at the Columbus, Ohio sectional, in the U.S Open field.

Chase Koepka, a talented golfer from the University of Southern Florida, is another player to keep an eye on.

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Ansley Golf Club (Settindown Creek Club)

Reigning U.S. Senior Amateur champion Doug Hanzel and Georgia Tech star Ollie Schniederjans lead the group of amateurs at the Roswell, Ga. sectional.

Schniederjans lost in a playoff Sunday for the individual NCAA Championship to Stanford's Cameron Wilson but has been playing lights out.

Garrett Rank, the 2012 U.S. Mid-Amateur runner-up is also in the field.

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Woodmont Country Club

Amateur Taylor Funk, son of PGA/Champions Tour winner Fred Funk, is among the few amateurs that reached the mid-atlantic sectional.

Patrick Cantlay, the former No. 1-ranked amateur, will try to reach his first U.S. Open. He finished second at the 2011 U.S. Amateur.

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Old Oaks Country Club/Century Country Club

The amateur force is strong in this qualifier.

Four-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Nathan Smith, reigning U.S. Mid-Amateur winner Mike McCoy, NCAA individual champion Cameron Wilson, 2013 U.S. Open qualifier Gavin Hall, 2013 U.S. Open alternate Brandon Matthews of Temple and former SMU star Max Buckley lead a loaded group of amateurs heading to Purchase, N.Y. to take yet another step towards the 2014 U.S. Open.

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Brookside Golf & Country Club/Scioto Country Club

Easily the most talented sectional qualifier, thanks to the Memorial being played in nearby Dublin, Ohio, the Columbus sectional is always exciting.

Joining the impressive list of past Major Champions, PGA Tour winners and USGA Champions are 2013 U.S. Walker Cup teammates Jordan Niebrugge, Todd White and Michael Weaver.

The trio, among the top amateurs at any level, will have a tough time out-playing the experienced group of pros that includes Davis Love III, Mike Weir, Michael Thompson, Bo Van Pelt, Camilo Villegas, Ryan Moore, Kyle Stanley, Justin Thomas and Michael Kim.

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Emerald Valley Golf Course

In Creswell, ore., Washington Huskies star Cheng-Tsung Pan hopes to qualify for his third U.S. Open. The Chinese Taipei native previously played in the 2011 and 2013 U.S. Opens.

Dan Whitaker is another player to watch. He was the runner-up to Trip Kuehne at the 2007 U.S. Mid-Aamteur.

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Colonial Country Club

Fresh off a terrific PGA Tour debut, reigning U.S. Junior Amateur champion Scott Scheffler seeks a berth in the U.S. Open.

Scheffler, a University of Texas commit, leads a solid group of amateurs into the Memphis, Tenn. sectional.

John Augenstein, a semifinalist at last year's Junior Amateur, also hopes to take another step.

Brady Watt, who held the world's top amateur ranking before turning professional late last year, is also in the field.

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Lakeside Country Club

Cory Whitsett, who helped Alabama to a second straight NCAA Championship earlier this week, is among the top amateurs in the Houston field. Whitsett, of course, was a 2013 U.S. Walker Cup team member and won the 2007 U.S. Junior.

Former Texas A&M golfer Bronson Burgoon, who holed out to win the deciding match at the 2009 NCAA Championship, is also in the field.

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