skip to main content

U.S. OPEN

Full Field Now Set for 2012 U.S. Open

By USGA

| Jun 9, 2012 | San Francisco
  • Link copied!

The United States Golf Association (USGA) today announced that two additional golfers have earned a full exemption into the 2012 U.S. Open Championship, to be played June 14-17 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, bringing the number of fully exempt players to 78. In addition, three alternates from sectional qualifying were added to complete the 156-player field.

Branden Grace and Spencer Levin earned an exemption based on the current Official World Golf Ranking. Grace, who is ranked No. 54, has won three times on the European Tour this year. The 24-year-old South African is making his first U.S. Open appearance. Levin, who is ranked No. 60 in the world, is playing in his third U.S. Open. He tied for 13th as an amateur in 2004 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.

The USGA held five spots in the field for those players who could potentially qualify by being in the current top 60 of the Official World Golf Rankings. Since Grace and Levin were the only players to earn an exemption, three alternates from sectional qualifying have made the field. They are Justin Hicks, Kyle Thompson and Colt Knost.

Hicks, who will play in his fourth U.S. Open, was the first alternate from the Columbus, Ohio, sectional. Thompson lost in a 3-for-1 playoff for the ninth and final spot in Memphis, Tenn. Knost, a professional who was the second alternate from Columbus, won the 2007 U.S. Amateur at The Olympic Club.

There were 109 local qualifying sites that led to 13 sectionals, including international sites in Japan (May 21) and England (May 28). Sectional qualifying in the United States took place at 11 sites on June 4.

A list of the 78 golfers fully exempt into the 2012 U.S. Open is below.

2012 U.S. Open Exemption List (as of June 10):

Aaron Baddeley                                    12, 13

Sang-Moon Bae                        13

Thomas Bjorn                            13

Keegan Bradley                         7, 12, 13

Jonathan Byrd                           12, 13

Olin Browne                              10

Angel Cabrera                           1, 5

Rafael Cabrera-Bello                  13

Michael Campbell                      1

Patrick Cantlay                          2, 4

Paul Casey                               13

Kevin Chappell                          11

K.J. Choi                                  8, 12, 13

Stewart Cink                              6

Tim Clark                                   8

Nicolas Colsaerts                      13

Ben Crane                                 13

Jason Day                                11, 12, 13

Luke Donald                              12, 13

Jason Dufner                            12, 13

Simon Dyson                            13

Ernie Els                                   13

Gonzalo Fernandez-Castaño      13

Rickie Fowler                             13

Jim Furyk                                  1, 13

Sergio Garcia                            11, 13

Robert Garrigus                         11

Lucas Glover                             1

Retief Goosen                           1

Branden Grace                          14

Bill Haas                                   12, 13

Anders Hansen                          13

Peter Hanson                            11, 13

Padraig Harrington                    6, 7

Charles Howell III                       12

Trevor Immelman                       5

Ryo Ishikawa                             13

Fredrik Jacobson                      12, 13

Miguel Angel Jimenez                13

Dustin Johnson                         12, 13

Zach Johnson                           13

Robert Karlsson                                    13

Martin Kaymer                           7, 13

K.T. Kim                                   13

Matt Kuchar                              8, 12, 13

Martin Laird                               13

Spencer Levin                           14

Hunter Mahan                            12, 13

Graeme McDowell                     1, 13

Rory McIlroy                             1, 11, 13

Phil Mickelson                           5, 12, 13

Francesco Molinari                    13

Kevin Na                                   13

Geoff Ogilvy                             1, 12, 13

Louis Oosthuizen                       6, 11, 13

Carl Pettersson                         13

Ian Poulter                                13

Alvaro Quiros                            13

Chez Reavie                              12

Robert Rock                              13

Justin Rose                               12, 13

Charl Schwartzel                        5, 11, 13

Adam Scott                              12, 13

John Senden                             12, 13

Webb Simpson                         12, 13

Vijay Singh                               12

Brandt Snedeker                        12, 13

Kyle Stanley                              13

Steve Stricker                            12, 13

David Toms                              12, 13

Bo Van Pelt                              12, 13

Nick Watney                              12, 13

Bubba Watson                          5, 12, 13

Lee Westwood                          11, 13

Mark Wilson                              12, 13

Gary Woodland                         12

Tiger Woods                             1, 7, 13

Y.E Yang                                  7, 11, 12 


Key to Player Exemptions

  1. Winners of the U.S. Open Championship the last 10 years (2002-11)
  2. Winner and runner-up of the 2011 U.S. Amateur Championship (must be an amateur)
  3. Winner of the 2011 British Amateur Championship (must be an amateur)
  4. Winner of the 2011 Mark H. McCormack Medal (top-ranked in WAGR & must be an amateur)
  5. Winners of the Masters Tournament the last five years (2008-12)
  6. Winners of the British Open Championship the last five years (2007-11)
  7. Winners of the PGA of America Championship the last five years (2007-11)
  8. Winners of the Players Championship the last three years (2010-12)
  9. Winner of the 2012 European Tour BMW PGA Championship
  10. Winner of the 2011 U.S. Senior Open Championship
  11. From the 2011 U.S. Open Championship, the 10 lowest scorers and anyone tying for 10th place
  12. Those players who qualified for the season-ending 2011 Tour Championship
  13. Top 60 point leaders and ties from the current World Ranking as of May 21, 2012
  14. Top 60 point leaders and ties from the current World Ranking as of June 11, 2012
  15. Special exemptions selected by the USGA

About the USGA  

The USGA conducts the U.S. Open, U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Senior Open, as well as 10 national amateur championships, two state team championships and international matches. Together with The R&A, the USGA governs the game worldwide, jointly administering the Rules of Golf, Rules of Amateur Status, Equipment Standards and World Amateur Golf Rankings. The USGA’s working jurisdiction comprises the United States, its territories and Mexico.

The USGA is a global leader in the development and support of sustainable golf course management practices. It serves as a primary steward for the game’s history and funds an ongoing “For the Good of the Game” charitable giving program. Additionally, the USGA’s Course Rating and Handicap systems are used on six continents in more than 50 countries.