Amateurs in the field at Los Angeles Country Club

It’s no surprise to see amateurs in the field at major championships. Yet at the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club’s North Course, more than 10 percent of the field will be amateurs.

Among the 19 amateurs who will tee it up this week in Los Angeles, only three weren’t on a college golf team this spring or, in the case of Wenyi Ding, will be on campus come this fall. College golf has never been stronger, and it shows in the amount of golfers who played their way into the field.

Fred Biondi, the 2023 NCAA individual champion from Florida, was exempt into the field if he remained an amateur, but he turned professional and made his debut on the Korn Ferry Tour last week.

Additionally, Sam Bennett, the low amateur at the 2023 Masters and winner of the 2022 U.S. Amateur, is in the field but turned professional after his season ended last month at Texas A&M.

U.S. OPEN: TV, streaming information

Stanford has four amateurs who made it through qualifying and advanced into the U.S. Open field. The oldest amateur in the field is 30-year-old Matthew McClean from Northern Ireland.

Here’s a look at the amateurs in the field at the 2023 U.S. Open.

Amat, a native of France, got into the U.S. Open on June 12 as the first alternate from the Lakewood, Washington, final qualifier. He recently finished his junior season at New Mexico, where he has one career victory.

LA BOUND!! Bastien Amat is off the alternate list and into @usopengolf!! Watch him next week at the Los Angeles Country Club. #GoLobos pic.twitter.com/S3NXZouLoF

— UNM Men’s Golf (@UNMLoboMGolf) June 11, 2023

Brennan, who just wrapped up his junior season at Wake Forest, will tee it up in his first U.S. Open after shooting 3-under 139 at Woodmont Country Club’s North Course.

Wake Forest’s Michael Brennan won the Southwestern Invitational. (Photo: Wake Forest Men’s Golf)

Brown, one of the four Cardinal to qualify, shot 10-under 132 at Hillcrest Country Club to qualify for his first U.S. Open. He made the cut at the 150th Open Championship at St. Andrews last July.

Barclay Brown of the Stanford Cardinal plays a tee shot on the third hole during the NCAA Men’s Golf Division I Championships at Grayhawk Golf Club at Grayhawk Golf Club on May 29, 2023 in Scottsdale, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

Car wrapped up his fifth season at Georgia Southern last month, and he’s in…