Tim Hogarth of Northridge, the 1996 U.S. Amateur Public Links, 1999 California Amateur and 2004 Southern California Golf Association (SCGA) Amateur champion, heads the Southern California contingent. Hogarth is one of 10 former USGA champions in the field (none of them are former U.S. Amateur winners, since most of those have turned professional). Sihwan Kim of Fullerton, the 2004 U.S. Junior Amateur titleholder, is also in the U.S. Amateur field.

Anthony Kim of La Quinta (University of Oklahoma), a member of last week’s victorious U.S. squad in the 40th Walker Cup Match, is entered along with his Walker Cup teammate, 2004 Pacific Coast Amateur champion Michael Putman of Tacoma, Wash., who recently graduated from Pepperdine. Another contestant is 2003 Pacific Coast Amateur champion James Lepp of Abbotsford, B.C., who defeated Putnam last spring to win the NCAA Division I individual title.

The local list also includes three UCLA golfers: Kevin Chappell of Fresno, Chris Heintz of Brea, and John Poucher of Santa Barbara (who is paired with Walker Cupper Matt Every).

Other Southern Californians include: • Sean Barrett, Pacific Palisades • Robert Caton, Huntington Beach • Jay Choi, Cerritos • Ed Cuff, Jr., of Rancho Santa Fe, the 1998 California Amateur champion • Patrick Duncan, Jr., of Rancho Santa Fe, a student at Torrey Pines High School whose father, Pat, was the 1990 SCGA Amateur champion • Kevin Kim, Jamul, the reigning California Community College champion • Keith Kinsel, Glendale • Mike McCabe, Thousand Oaks • Edward McGlasson, Orange • Robert Mink, Jr., Moreno Valley • Roy Moon, Simi Valley, a former UCLA star who was the 2003 SCGA Amateur champion and 2003 California Amateur medalist • Chad Moscovic, San Diego • John O’Donnell, Los Angeles • Matthew Pierce, Jr., San Juan Capistrano • Ricky Romano, Murrieta • Alan Scheer, San Diego • Derek Sipe, Yorba Linda • Darrell Taylor, Orange • Tyler Vesey, San Diego

The field of 312 will play stroke play rounds on Merion GC’s East Course and nearby Philadelphia CC Monday and Tuesday (Aug. 22-23), after which the field will be cut to the low 64 for golfers for match play, which begins Wednesday at Merion. Second and third round matches are scheduled for Thursday, with quarterfinals planned for Friday and semifinals scheduled for Saturday. The 36-hole championship match will be played Sunday, Aug. 28.

The Golf Channel will provide coverage on Wed.-Friday from 1-3 p.m (PDT). NBC will telecast the semifinals on Saturday and the championship match Sunday, also from 1-3 p.m.

Merion has hosted 16 USGA championships, more than any other club, including four U.S. Opens and five U.S. Amateurs. This year marks the 75th anniversary of Bobby Jones’s “Grand Slam,” which he completed by defeating Eugene Homans, 8 & 7, on Merion’s East Course (a stone on the 11th hole -- the final hole in the match -- commemorates that historic event).