Nine More Players Exempt For U.S. Open; Total Now 79


May 30, 2006 

Far Hills, N.J. - Geoff Ogilvy, Rod Pampling and Rory Sabbatini, each a winner on the PGA Tour this season, are three of the nine golfers who earned full exemptions into the U.S. Open with the close of three active categories as of May 30.  A total of 79 golfers are fully exempt from qualifying for the upcoming Championship, scheduled from June 15-18 at Winged Foot Golf Club in Mamaroneck, N.Y.

 
Lehman

Ogilvy, Pampling and Sabbatini earned their exemptions by easily staying in the top 50 in the World Rankings. The other six who earned full exemptions by being in the top 50 of the updated World Rankings are Paul Casey, a winner on the 2006 PGA European Tour, along with Robert Allenby, Darren Clarke, Trevor Immelman, Zach Johnson and Tom Lehman.

The 10 leading money leaders on the PGA Tour for 2006 and the top two money leaders of the PGA European Tour for 2006 were already fully exempt, after considering the world rankings. The remainder of the top 50 ranked players (41) was already fully exempt through other criteria.

One more fully exempt place could be awarded following the close of this week's Memorial Tournament on the PGA Tour, if the winner is not already fully exempt and it is his second Tour win since last April 27.

Sectional qualifying for the remaining 77 spots will take place at 13 sites on June 5-6 .  The first sectional qualifier was held May 29 in with three spots for the U.S. Open field awarded.

Here is the list of the 79 golfers who are fully exempt:

THE PLAYERS WHO ARE FULLY EXEMPT FOR THE 2006 U.S. OPEN (79) (as of 5/30/06) 

Robert Allenby 16 Mark Hensby 8
Steven Ames 6,16    
Stuart Appleby 9,11,16 Tim Herron 9,16
Rich Beem 5 Charles Howell III 9
Thomas Bjorn 10,16 David Howell 10,13,16
    Trevor Immelman 16
Olin Browne 9 Ryuji Imada 8
Bart Bryant 9,16 Peter Jacobsen 8
Angel Cabrera 10,16 Lee Janzen 1
Mark Calcavecchia 9 Miguel Angel Jimenez 10,16
Chad Campbell 9,11,16 Brandt Jobe 9
    Zach Johnson 16
Michael Campbell 1,8,10,16 Steve Jones 1
Paul Casey 13,16    
K.J. Choi 8,16 Shingo Katayama 14,16
    Tom Lehman 16
Stewart Cink 8,16 Justin Leonard 9
Tim Clark 8,9,16 Davis Love III 8,9,16
Darren Clarke 16    
John Cook 8 Paul McGinley 10,16
Fred Couples 8,16 Billy Mayfair 9
Ben Crane 9,16 Rocco Mediate 8
Ben Curtis 4 Shaun Micheel 5
Chris DiMarco 9,16 Phil Mickelson 3,5,9,11,12,16
Luke Donald 9,10,16 Edoardo Molinari 2
Dillon Dougherty 2 Colin Montgomerie 10,16
Nick Dougherty 10 Arron Oberholser 8,16
Allen Doyle 7 Sean O'Hair 9
David Duval 4 Nick O'Hearn 15,16
    Geoff Ogilvy 11,16
Ernie Els 1,4,8,16 Jose Maria Olazabal 10,16
    Rod Pampling 16
Bob Estes 8 Corey Pavin 8
Niclas Fasth 10,16 Kenny Perry 9,16
Kenneth Ferrie 10 Nick Price 8
Fred Funk 9,16 Ted Purdy 9
    Rory Sabbatini 11,16
Jim Furyk 1,9,11,12,16 Adam Scott 9,15,16
Sergio Garcia 8,9,10,16 Vijay Singh 5,8,9,16
Lucas Glover 9,16 Henrik Stenson 10,16
Retief Goosen 1,8,9,10,11,16 David Toms 5,8,9,16
Todd Hamilton 4 Scott Verplank 9,16
Padraig Harrington 9,16 Mike Weir 3,16
Peter Hedblom 8 Tiger Woods 1,3,4,8,9,11,12,16

Key to Player Exemptions - 

  1. Winners of the U.S. Open Championship for the last 10 years.
  2. Winner and runner-up of the 2005 U.S. Amateur Championship.
  3. Winners of the Masters Tournament the last five years.
  4. Winners of the British Open Championship the last five years.
  5. Winners of the PGA of America Championship the last five years.
  6. Winner of the 2006 Players Championship.
  7. Winner of the 2005 U.S. Senior Open Championship.
  8. From the 2005 U.S. Open Championship, the 15 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 15 th place.
  9. From the 2005 final official PGA Tour money list, the top 30 money leaders.
  10. From the 2005 final official PGA European Tour, the top 15 money leaders.
  11. From the 2006 official PGA Tour money list, the top 10 money leaders through May 29.
  12. Any multiple winner of PGA Tour co-sponsored events whose victories are considered official from April 23, 2005 through June 6, 2006
  13. From the 2006 PGA European Tour, the top two money leaders through May 30.
  14. 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.
  15. 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.
  16. From the World Rankings list, the top 50 point leaders as of May 30, 2006.
  17. Special exemptions selected by the USGA Executive Committee International players not otherwise exempt as selected by the USGA Executive Committee.