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Open Entries Close; 70 Golfers Currently
Exempt
 April
27, 2006
Far Hills, N.J. - The
United States
Golf Association has accepted 8,584 entries for the 2006 U.S.
Open to be played June 15-18 at Winged Foot Golf Club in
Mamaroneck
,
N.Y.
It is the third highest
number of entries in Open history, 464 shy of the record 9,048
entries accepted for the 2005 Open in
Pinehurst
,
N.C.
A total of 2,251 entries were received on the last three days
before the deadline of Wednesday afternoon (April 26), and 100
of those entries were submitted electronically in the final hour.
The last entry to arrive was from
Will Britt
,
a 27-year-old professional from
Palm Beach
Gardens
,
Fla.
, who
submitted his entry at
4:59:30 p.m.
, 30 seconds before the
5
p.m
(
EDT
) deadline.
The youngest golfer to enter was 13-year-old
Ryan
Simpson
of
Mechanicsville
,
N.Y.
The oldest was 75-year-old
Ordean Olson
, a professional
from
Hollywood
,
Fla.
,
who will turn 76 prior to the Championship. Overall, the USGA
received entries from golfers in all 50 states and 62 foreign
countries.
Among the foreign applicants was Doh Missewou, a 31-year-old
professional and lone entrant from the African country of
Togo
.
To be eligible, the player must have at least a 1.4 Handicap
Index, or be a professional. Seventy-eight percent of all entries
were received online.
Seventy golfers, including eight past champions, are currently
fully exempt from having to qualify for the upcoming Championship.
In addition, 1992 champion
Tom Kite
(1992), will try to reach the field of 156 through sectional qualifying
in
Houston
,
Texas
.
The number of fully exempt golfers will increase with the inclusion
of the top 50 players from the World Rankings, the top 10 money
leaders on the
PGA
Tour and
the top two money leaders on the European
PGA
Tour at the end of May.
Local qualifying at 110 sites will begin May 10. Sectional qualifying
at 14 sites will be held from May 29-June 6. International sectional
qualifiers will be offered on May 29 in
Japan
and June 5 in
England
.
An Open champion receives a full exemption into the field for
the next 10 years.
Past champions who are fully exempt are
Michael
Campbell
(2005); Ernie Els (1994,1997); Jim Furyk
(2003);
Retief Goosen
(2001,2004);
Lee Janzen
(1993,1998);
Steve
Jones
(1996);
Corey Pavin
(1995); and Tiger Woods (2000,2002). Pavin's exemption from winning
in 1995 had passed, but he earned a full exemption by finishing
in the top 15 in 2005.
The Open is one of 13 national championships conducted annually
by the USGA. Other championships include the U.S. Women's Open,
the U.S. Senior Open, and 10 amateur competitions.
A list of the 70 golfers who are currently fully exempt into
the U.S. Open follows.
THE PLAYERS WHO ARE FULLY EXEMPT FOR THE
2006 U.S. OPEN (70) (as of 4/27/06)
| Steven Ames |
6 |
Mark Hensby |
8 |
| Stuart Appleby |
9 |
Tim Herron |
9 |
| Rich Beem |
5 |
Charles Howell III |
9 |
| Thomas Bjorn |
10 |
David Howell |
10 |
| Olin Browne |
9 |
Ryuji Imada |
8 |
| Bart Bryant |
9 |
Peter Jacobsen |
8 |
| Angel Cabrera |
10 |
Lee Janzen |
1 |
| Mark Calcavecchia |
9 |
Miguel Angel Jimenez |
10 |
| Chad Campbell |
9 |
Brandt Jobe |
9 |
| Michael Campbell |
1,8,10 |
Steve Jones |
1 |
| K.J. Choi |
8 |
Shingo Katayama |
14 |
| Stewart Cink |
8 |
Justin Leonard |
9 |
| Tim Clark |
8,9 |
Davis Love III |
8,9 |
| John Cook |
8 |
Paul McGinley |
10 |
| Fred Couples |
8 |
Billy Mayfair |
9 |
| Ben Crane |
9 |
Rocco Mediate |
8 |
| Ben Curtis |
4 |
Shaun Micheel |
5 |
| Chris DiMarco |
9 |
Phil Mickelson |
3,5,9,12 |
| Luke Donald |
9,10 |
Edorado Molinari |
2 |
| Dillon Dougherty |
2 |
Colin Montgomerie |
10 |
| Nick Dougherty |
10 |
Arron Oberholser |
8 |
| Allen Doyle |
7 |
Sean O'Hair |
9 |
| David Duval |
4 |
Nick O'Hearn |
15 |
| Ernie Els |
1,4,8 |
Jose Maria Olazabal |
10 |
| Bob Estes |
8 |
Corey Pavin |
8 |
| Niclas Fasth |
10 |
Kenny Perry |
9 |
| Kenneth Ferrie |
10 |
Nick Price |
8 |
| Fred Funk |
9 |
Ted Purdy |
9 |
| Jim Furyk |
1,9 |
Adam Scott |
9,15 |
| Sergio Garcia |
8,9,10 |
Vijay Singh |
5,8,9 |
| Lucas Glover |
9 |
Henrik Stenson |
10 |
| Retief Goosen |
1,8,9,10 |
David Toms |
5,8,9 |
| Todd Hamilton |
4 |
Scott Verplank |
9 |
| Padraig Harrington |
9 |
Mike Weir |
3 |
| Peter Hedblom |
8 |
Tiger Woods |
1,3,4,8,9,12 |
Key to Player Exemptions -
- Winners of the U.S. Open Championship for the last 10 years.
- Winner and runner-up of the 2005 U.S. Amateur Championship.
- Winners of the Masters Tournament the last five years.
- Winners of the British Open Championship the last five years.
- Winners of the PGA of America Championship the last five years.
- Winner of the 2006 Players Championship.
- Winner of the 2005 U.S. Senior Open Championship.
- From the 2005 U.S. Open Championship, the 15 lowest scorers
and anyone tying for 15th place.
- From the 2005 final official PGA Tour money list, the
top 30 money leaders.
- From the 2005 final official PGA European Tour, the top
15 money leaders.
- From the 2006 official PGA Tour money list, the top 10
money leaders through May 29.
- Any multiple winner of PGA Tour co-sponsored events whose
victories are considered official from April 23, 2005 through
June 6, 2006
- From the 2006 PGA European Tour, the top two money leaders
through May 30.
- From the 2005 final Japan Golf Tour money list, the top two
leaders provided they are within the top 75 point leaders of
the World Rankings at that time.
- From the 2005 final PGA Tour of Australasia money list, the
top two leaders provided they are within the top 75 point leaders
of the World Rankings at that time.
- From the World Rankings list, the top 50 point leaders as
of May 30, 2006.
- Special exemptions selected by the USGA Executive Committee
International players not otherwise exempt as selected by the
USGA Executive Committee.
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