Far Hills, N.J. (April 26, 2012) – The United States Golf Association today announced that more than 9,000 golfers have entered to play in the 2012 U.S. Open Championship at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif. The total of 9,006 entrants is the fourth-highest in U.S. Open history, just 80 shy of the record number accepted for the 2009 championship at Bethpage State Park’s Black Course in Farmingdale, N.Y. The 53 players, including nine past champions, who are currently fully exempt into the field are among those entered for the championship.
“It is always gratifying to see how many golfers, from across the world, are interested in playing in the National Open Championship,” said USGA Executive Director Mike Davis. “The great appeal of the U.S. Open is that anyone can enter, provided they meet the Handicap Index standards set forth. We look forward to the qualifying process, conducting the 2012 championship in San Francisco and identifying this year’s United States Open champion.”
The U.S. Open will be held at The Olympic Club’s Lake Course on June 14-17. To be eligible, a player must have a USGA Handicap Index® not exceeding 1.4, or be a professional. Local qualifying, which will be played over 18 holes at 109 sites, will take place between April 30-May 17.
Sectional qualifying, played over 36 holes, will be conducted at two international sites (May 21 in Japan and May 28 in England) and on Monday, June 4 at 11 sites in the United States, ranging from New Jersey to California. The USGA established two international sectional qualifiers in 2005.
The USGA received entries for the 112th U.S. Open from golfers in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and 71 countries. A total of 801 applicants listed foreign addresses.
Rory McIlroy, the 2011 champion, and eight other past champions are fully exempt from having to qualify for the championship. They are: 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).
For the second time, only online entries were accepted in 2012. The USGA received 677 entries on the last day applications were accepted (April 25), including 124 applications in the final hour. Brad Doster, a 28-year-old professional from Winter Park, Fla., submitted his entry just 29 seconds before the deadline of 5 p.m. EDT. Jason May, a 38-year-old amateur from Sterling Heights, Mich., was the first entrant on March 5.
The number of fully exempt players will increase with the inclusion of the top 60 point leaders and ties from the Official World Golf Ranking, time sensitive to dates of May 21 and June 11, 2012. The winners of The Players Championship (May 10-13) and European Tour BMW PGA Championship (May 24-27) also receive exemptions.
In 2009, the USGA received a record 9,086 entries for the U.S. Open, while 9,052 golfers entered the 2010 championship in Pebble Beach, Calif. For the 2005 U.S. Open in Pinehurst, N.C., 9,048 entries were received.
More information about the U.S. Open before, during and after the 2012 championship at The Olympic Club can be found at www.usopen.com.
A list of the 53 golfers who are fully exempt into the 2012 U.S. Open follows (as of April 25):
Aaron Baddeley
Keegan Bradley
Olin Browne
Jonathan Byrd
Angel Cabrera
Michael Campbell
a-Patrick Cantlay
Kevin Chappell
K.J. Choi
Stewart Cink
Tim Clark
Darren Clarke
Jason Day
Luke Donald
Jason Dufner
Jim Furyk
Sergio Garcia
Robert Garrigus
Lucas Glover
Retief Goosen
Bill Haas
Peter Hanson
Padraig Harrington
Charles Howell III
Trevor Immelman
Fredrik Jacobson
Dustin Johnson
Martin Kaymer
Matt Kuchar
Hunter Mahan
Graeme McDowell
Rory McIlroy
Phil Mickelson
Geoff Ogilvy
Louis Oosthuizen
Chez Reavie
Justin Rose
Charl Schwartzel
Adam Scott
John Senden
Webb Simpson
Vijay Singh
Brandt Snedeker
Steve Stricker
David Toms
Bo Van Pelt
Nick Watney
Bubba Watson
Lee Westwood
Mark Wilson
Gary Woodland
Tiger Woods
Y.E. Yang
ABOUT THE U.S. Open
The U.S. Open is the biggest of the 14 national
championships conducted by the USGA.
Open
to amateurs and professionals.
The USGA intends to make the U.S. Open
the
most rigorous, yet fair, examination of golf
skills, testing all forms of shot-making. The
USGA prepares the course after careful
consideration of 14 different factors.
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