2,930 Entries Accepted; 11 Past Champions Exempt For 2004 U.S. Senior Open

June 24, 2004
E-mail address: mediarelations@usga.org

Far Hills, N.J. - The United States Golf Association has accepted 2,930 entries, including those from 11 past champions, for the 2004 U.S. Senior Open Championship scheduled from July 29-Aug. 1 at Bellerive Country Club in St. Louis, Mo.

Entries closed at 5 p.m. EDT on June 16. The record for entries is 3,101 in 2002. In 2003, the USGA accepted 2,788 entries.

A total of 1,711 on-line entries were accepted. The oldest player to enter is Gus Bernadoni, 83, of Aledo, Texas. The first entry came on-line from Bob Murphy, an exempt professional who won the 1965 U.S. Amateur, on March 8. The last entry also came on-line from Aaron Billings, 52, of Horseshoe Bay, Texas at 4:59:15 p.m. on June 16.

In addition to defending champion Bruce Lietzke, 10 other past winners who are exempt and have entered are: Dale Douglass (1986), Dave Eichelberger (1999), Bruce Fleisher (2001), Hale Irwin (1998 and 2000), Larry Laoretti (1992), Graham Marsh (1997), Arnold Palmer (1981), Gary Player (1987 and 1988), Don Pooley (2002) and Dave Stockton (1996).

All previous Senior Open champions are exempt, but they must file an entry. A total of 76 players are exempt from having to qualify. The remainder of the field, 80 players, will come from sectional qualifying at 44 sites nationally from June 28-July 13.

The Senior Open is one of 13 national championships conducted annually by the United States Golf Association. Other championships include the U.S. Open, the U.S. Women's Open, and 10 amateur championships.

Following is a list of players fully exempt for the 2004 U.S. Senior Open:

FULLY EXEMPT PLAYERS FOR THE 2004 U.S. SENIOR OPEN (76)

Frank Abbott (a) 12
Jim Ahern 18
Dave Barr 15, 18
David Boesel (a) 12
Jose Maria Canizares 9, 15
Jim Colbert 16
Ben Crenshaw 4, 14, 16
Rodger Davis 9, 15, 18
Jim Dent 9, 16
Ed Dougherty 9, 16
Dale Douglass 1, 16
Allen Doyle 9, 15-18
R.W. Eaks 9
David Eger 15, 18
Dave Eichelberger 1, 16, 18
Vicente Fernandez 9, 15, 16, 18
Ed Fiori 17, 18
Bruce Fleisher 1, 15-18
Raymond Floyd 9, 14-16
John Fought 22
Bob Gilder 15-18
Stewart Ginn 9, 18
Hubert Green 16, 18
Gary Groh 9
Jay Haas 14, 16
Walter Hall 18
Dan Halldorson 9
Morris Hatalsky 9, 15, 17,18
Hale Irwin 1, 7, 15-18
John Jacobs 15, 16, 18
Peter Jacobsen 14, 16, 20
Mark James 14
Tom Jenkins 9, 15-18
Tom Kite 9, 14-16, 17-18
Larry Laoretti 1
Wayne Levi 9, 15-18
Bruce Lietzke 1, 9, 15, 16, 18
John Mahaffey 16
Graham Marsh 1, 15-17
James Mason 18
Mike McCullough 9, 15, 16, 18
Mark McCumber 9
Mark McNulty 17, 18
Gil Morgan 9, 15-18
Bob Murphy 9, 16
Larry Nelson 15-18
Andy North 9, 18
Christy O'Connor 18
Arnold Palmer 1
Jerry Pate 17, 22
Gary Player 1, 16
Don Pooley 1, 18
Tom Purtzer 15-18
Dana Quigley 15-18
Sammy Rachels 18
Greg Reynolds (a) 12
Kemp Richardson (a) 12
John Schroeder 18
Jay Sigel 15, 16, 18
Roy Smethurst (a) 12
Des Smyth 9, 15
J.C. Snead 16, 18
Craig Stadler 9, 15-18
Dave Stockton 1, 16, 18
Bruce Summerhays 16
Doug Tewell 7, 15, 16, 18
Leonard Thompson 16, 18
Jim Thorpe 15-18
Sam Torrance 14
Steve Veriato 18
Bobby Wadkins 15
Tom Wargo 7, 16, 18
Tom Watson 7-9, 15, 16, 18
D. A. Weibring 15, 17, 18
George Zahringer (a) 12, 13
Fuzzy Zoeller 7, 9, 15-18

Key to Player Exemptions --

1. Former winners of the U.S. Senior Open.
2. Winners of the U.S. Open in the last 10 years. (1995-2004)
3. Winners of the U.S. Amateur in the last 10 years. (1994-2003)
4. Winners of the Masters Tournament in the last 10 years (1995-2004)
5. Winners of the British Open in the last 10 years (1994-2003)
6. Winners of the PGA Championship in the last 10 years. (1994-2003)
7. Winners of the PGA Seniors Championship in the last 10 years. (1994-2003)
8 Winner of the 2003 British Senior Open Championship.
9. The 25 lowest scorers and ties from the 2003 U.S. Senior Open.
10. From the 2004 U.S. Open, any amateur returning a 72-hole score
11. The low amateur at the 2003 U.S. Senior Open.
12. From the U.S. Amateur Public Links, U.S. Mid-Amateur and USGA Senior Amateur, the winners from the last two years and the semifinalists from the most recent championships
13. Playing members of the 2001 and 2003 USA Walker Cup teams and 2000
and 2002 USA World Amateur Teams
14. Playing members of the U.S. and European Ryder Cup teams in the last 10 years. (1995-2004)
15. The top 30 money leaders from the 2003 Champions Tour money list.
16. The top 50 players on the Champions Tour all-time money list through June 16
17. The top 20 money leaders on the 2004 Champions Tour money list through June 16
18. Winners of Champions Tour events in the last three years (2001-2003) and the current calendar year.
19. The leading money winner from the 2003 Senior PGA European Tour Order of Merit
20. Winners of PGA Tour co-sponsored events in the last five years (1999-2003) and during the current calendar year.
21. Any player in his first five years of age eligibility for U.S. Open winners
22. Any player turning 50 in the last calendar year who has won a U.S. Open, U.S. Amateur, Masters Tournament, British Open, British Amateur, or PGA Championship (one-time exemption)
23. Special exemptions as selected by the USGA Executive Committee.