Three-time Major winner Jordan Spieth is among five former champions who will enter Final Qualifying ahead of the 126th US Open Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club later this year.
The USGA announced 10,201 total entries were accepted ahead of the season’s third men’s Major – one short of the all-time record which arrived before the 125th championship 12 months ago. It is the fifth time ever more than 10,000 entries have been accepted.
Among the five-figure entry list is a 13-year-old called Niko Ameredes who is a two-time Drive, Chip & Putt national finalist. Meanwhile, the oldest entrant is Mike Caporale, a 71-year-old who is the head PGA professional at North Hills Country Club, in Manhasset, N.Y. – approximately 70 miles from Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
To be eligible, golfers must either be an amateur with a Handicap Index not exceeding 0.4 or be a professional.
Jordan Spieth with the 2015 US Open trophy
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Per the USGA’s release, Jonathan Kaplan – an amateur from Powell, Ohio – was the first entry on February 18. Clark Van Gaalen, from Turlock, Calif., submitted his entry 61 seconds before the deadline of 5pm ET on April 8.
USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer said: “The USGA is proud to return to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, one of the cathedrals of the game and a founding member club of the USGA.
“The U.S. Open’s two-stage qualifying process provides thousands of professional and amateur golfers worldwide an opportunity to earn their spot in the field.
“There continues to be tremendous interest in competing in our national championship as we nearly set another record with entries.”
Local qualifying starts as early as Sunday, April 20 and concludes on Monday, May 18, with 18-hole events at 109 sites in 43 US states as well as Canada and Mexico staging the first round.
Final Qualifying will subsequently take place over 36 holes at 13 sites – 10 of which are in the United States – on Monday, June 8.
Whoever makes it through will head to…
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